<strong>News Release</strong>

<strong>For Immediate Release</strong>

November 18, 2021

<strong>Contact </strong>

Gina Patterson, executive director
434-295-8722 or gina@vsba.org
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Virginia School Boards Association Establishes Task Force to Address School Construction and Infrastructure Funding Needs </strong></p>
Charlottesville, VA – On June 2, 2022, the Virginia School Boards Association (VSBA) Board of Directors voted to establish a task force focused on assisting school boards in advocating for best practices and outcomes for improving the infrastructure of school divisions in the Commonwealth. The VSBA Task Force on School Infrastructure Needs will engage federal, state, and local leaders to ensure the need for increased federal and state resources is recognized as a critical priority.
<blockquote>“The antiquated decision that allowed states to be designated as the main funding source for local road construction has led to the disproportionate practice of dividing real estate taxes as a revenue stream between local government expenditures and school construction. As a result, localities in many regions of Virginia have been economically restricted in generating additional funding to address their complex school building needs,” said Teddy D. Martin, II VSBA President. “This task force was created to help shine a spotlight on the ongoing issues with this method of taxation and to make recommendations on how to leverage funding at all levels that will allow for the means to develop innovatively sustainable school construction plans that foster environments to cultivate academic success.”</blockquote>
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During the 2022 session of the Virginia General Assembly, lawmakers discussed the importance of addressing the infrastructure needs of school divisions citing a report released in late 2021 by the Virginia Commission on School Construction and Modernization. The report determined more than half of the Commonwealth’s school buildings are at least 50 years or older. In response to these details, the Commission estimated the cost of replacing over 1,000 aging facilities to be roughly $25 billion.
<blockquote>“The VSBA Task Force on School Infrastructure Needs is confident that progress will occur as parents, community leaders, and policymakers recognize the necessity for each student to attend a modern, safe school,” said David Woodard, Task Force Co-Chair and VSBA President Elect. “In the coming months, the task force will work to find ways to involve the public and private sectors in efforts to create an equitable method to fund school infrastructure in the Commonwealth.”

“I look forward to working with the VSBA Task Force on an issue important to school divisions across the Commonwealth of Virginia.” said Dr. Gregory C. Hutchings, Jr., Co-Chair and Alexandria City, Superintendent. “The General Assembly recently approved a budget containing funding for grants and loans relative to school modernization. This progress makes the work of our task force timely.”

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<strong>Virginia School Boards Association Task Force on School Construction Members:</strong>

David Woodard, Co-Chair
Tazewell County VSBA President-Elect

Dr. Gregory C. Hutchings, Jr., Co-Chair
Alexandria City, Superintendent

Dr. Keith Perrigan
Bristol City, Superintendent

Dr. Sarah Calveric
Caroline County, Superintendent

Karen Corbett Sanders
Fairfax County, School Board Member

Janet Turner-Giles
Nelson County, School Board Member
VSBA Past President

Douglas Brown
Newport News City, School Board Chair

Lucy Carson
Prince Edward County, School Board Chair

Chris Johnson
Prince George County, School Board Chair

Meg Bohmke
Stafford County, Board of Supervisors Member, VACO President

<strong>About the Virginia School Boards Association</strong>

Virginia School Boards Association, a voluntary, nonpartisan organization of Virginia school boards, promotes excellence in public education through advocacy, training and services. The Association offers conferences, information, training, and counseling designed to meet the needs of the Commonwealth’s educational leaders.
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