Have you ever had a moment as you are taking a trip through Virginia when you realize that you are actually in the South? Living in Northern Virginia, we tend to forget about the millions of acres of farmland below us. Southern Virginia is seen as rural with some towns and cities dispersed throughout, contrasting with the suburbs of the nation’s capital. Considering these factors, Virginia’s school board is unable to compensate for the funding for these two distinctive regions. While both Northern and Southern Virginia could use funding for their public schools, NOVA schools deserve supplementary funding because the costs of operating near D.C. are significantly higher.
Public schools are primarily funded through real estate taxes with the remaining charge covered by federal, state, and county dollars. Due to the higher cost of condensed properties in the North as opposed to the dispersed, cheaper properties found largely in the South, NOVA public schools are receiving more funding from their local economy. Overall, Southern schools are still receiving the same amount of money, but the state had to cover the remaining cost putting Northern Virginia on the inferior side of the complicated funding formula.
With the warranted money, Northern Virginia public schools would increase salaries, account for larger districts, continue expansion projects and further immigration adaptations. Along with expensive properties, the labor costs are inflated due to the higher cost of living in the area, something the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission agrees through their study on the unfair distribution of money within the state. Northern Virginia is home to the top three largest school districts in the state, making maintenance a constant priority. People are drawn to urban environments, especially near D.C., so the population is steadily increasing, causing school buildings to need to expand. There are considerably higher immigration rates which require many adaptations to meet the needs of life in an unfamiliar country. It is hard for NOVA to stand up for its funding when the South’s broader population gives them additional delegates and senators for the assembly.
“The representation is more from the South, so that’s who gets the policies passed,” school board representative Melanie Meren said, looking towards the General Assembly convening in January.
Southern schools have their own set of issues mainly surrounding the higher cost per student of smaller counties and their detachment from surrounding towns and cities, but the price of these issues is already covered by the state from their additional funding.
One might argue that funding can transform the education system, but to what extent? While financial support can make a larger library or provide faster laptops, part of success comes down to a student’s drive to learn and achieve the level of education that they strive for. Meren believes that part of what goes into creating a top school is the aspect of “nature-nurture” regarding the fact that eight out of ten of Virginia’s top schools are located in the North. Most parents in NOVA are college graduates, creating an endorsing environment towards education, while that might not always be the case in other school counties. Northern Virginia should receive more funding from the state because, while it is seen as well-off, its schools still need the money to increase salaries for workers in such a high-cost area, expand schools and aid immigrants in schools.
