Vivian's Views > Education

COMMITMENT

Fairfax County's schools and her taxpayers are not treated fairly in the distribution of state public school support. Fairfax schools have larger average class sizes at every grade level than three-quarters of the rest of Virginia's school districts. Smaller maximum class sizes are critical to meeting the needs of mainstream students as well as students with special needs and to retaining teachers in the face of growing teacher shortage.

When my children were in Fairfax schools, I was a local PTA president. I also served as the Chair of a countywide School Bond Campaign. I remain just as dedicated to quality education for all children. Together, we can equip our children to take their place in building the American dream.

I've always believed that smaller class sizes are important. However, after seeing the difference that smaller classes are making in targeted Project Excel schools within the 39th District, I now believe smaller class sizes are critical. Academic performance definitely improves. Perhaps equally important, smaller classes make it possible to actively involve all the kids. By the time they reach adolescence these kids will have a well-established sense of belonging and acceptance, under-cutting much of the initial appeal of gangs.

STATE FUNDING
In 2004, I successfully negotiated a permanent increase in state school funds that will come to Fairfax as part of the hard fought budget compromise. This increase equals almost a penny on the real estate tax rate, or $14 million in FY2005. Most importantly, it is the first time the formula has been changed in over 30 years to give Fairfax more money based purely on the number of school children we have...not on how wealthy we are. I explained the victory this way in my newsletter:

Since 1966 when Virginia’s sales tax was enacted, 1 cent has gone to localities based on school age population. Fairfax gets 12% of this distribution.

Half of the 1/2-cent sales tax increase will also go to schools. In numerous meetings and conference calls, I argued that all of this 1/4-cent should also be distributed on the basis of school age population. This would make up for the fact that over 80% of total school funds (instead of just 55% as it used to be) are now distributed based on ability to pay. Fairfax gets less than 8% of this distribution.

Since not all Fairfax legislators supported a tax increase, they were not part of the coalition to get a fairer share and we had to compromise at half of what I wanted or 1/8-cent. Fairfax will get $14 million per year.

The gross unfairness of more and more state school funds being adjusted for the locality's wealth is well-illustrated right here in Northern Virginia. Fairfax County has 3 times as many students as our neighbor, Prince William. We both gained about 5,000 new students between 2003 and 2005. And, yet, Prince William got $45 million MORE in state funds while Fairfax got $29 million LESS under the equalization formula.

Fairfax is being penalized because of our higher average personal income. 50% of the 2003-2004 state subsidy calculation was based on our income per person in 1999 – the heyday of dot.com salaries and capital gains. Even if that segment of the economy was still booming, we can’t tax income; we only can tax real estate. Many of you know first hand that the assessed value of the house you’ve lived in for 25+ years does not reflect your current income and ability to pay.

Real estate values are 40% of the state subsidy calculation but, since the local sales tax base only accounts for the remaining 10%, tourist areas – like Virginia Beach – get large school subsides from the state, despite all the local revenue they get from hotel, restaurant, a 50-cent per pack cigarette tax and general sales taxes. I've repeatedly introduced bills to change the formula to reflect a locality's actual ability raise local funds. They've failed, in part because all localities want more state funds.

(EXCERPTS FROM APRIL 6, 2001 RESPONSE TO CONSTITUENT LETTERS)

...I hope it will be helpful to share with you some of my remarks in the floor debate, in an effort to get members from throughout the Commonwealth to understand why our need for a broader tax base and additional revenue is so crucial:

...Supreme Court rulings have repeatedly held that no child should be denied a basic education because of the poverty of where he lives. With one of the greatest spreads between wealthy and poor communities in the nation, for decades Virginia has sent state funds to local schools based on an equalization formula called the Composite Index. Under the Composite Index, schools in Northern Virginia get only 20¢ on the dollar compared to 80¢ elsewhere.

This weighted state support reduces the pressure on the real estate tax throughout the state but, not in Northern Virginia. Many in my district have lived in the same house for decades and their incomes simply do not match the house’s inflated value, which is the basis of the real estate tax. We need to spread the tax burden to better capture ability-to-pay–including those non-residents who have discretionary income to spend at our many shopping malls.

After this reminder to House members of how Northern Virginia supports them, I joined others in making sure they knew about the number of students in trailers, burgeoning enrollments, our diverse educational challenges and, of course, about the need to renovate schools like my kids attended, W. T. Woodson. Thanks to letters like yours, I never lacked for fresh, compelling examples...

TEACHERS
Each teacher deserves an opportunity to teach, not just manage. I will continue to work hard to ensure a top-quality, sound academic and vocational education by attracting and keeping quality teachers and raising teacher salaries, which are currently $3,000 less than the national average.

(2000 NEWSLETTER) ...Annual teacher salaries were only increased 1.7% and even that modest increment was hard to fund because for the first time since 1981, the Governor’s budget did not include any teacher salary increase.

TESTING
While students, teachers, and schools must be held accountable, being able to use rapidly-changing technology throughout life will depend upon a student’s ability to engage in structured thinking and analysis. Higher standards must not stop with rote memory.

Regarding the proper role of testing, Virginia SOL tests should target remedial help and not be the sole measure used to deny school accreditation or to fail a student. I fully support the bi-partisan appeal of my General Assembly colleagues throughout the state to restructure the Federal No Child Left Behind program. To quote Delegate Dillard, Chairman of the House Education Committee, “We’ve all heard of the tail that wags the dog...[this] is the dog’s tail on steroids...” Specifically, the federal program should honor state tests that are more demanding; special education students should be tested based on their Individual Education Program; non-English speaking students should be enrolled for two years before their scores are included in measuring a school's performance, and tutoring should be the first option offered to students in failing schools. Modifications also are needed to reduce excessive paperwork.