Education

K-12 Budget Sees Modest Increase

May 03, 2005 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

Last year, the Republican-controlled legislature approved Mr. Warner’s major overhaul of the state tax code and raised sales taxes to provide more money for schools and other state services. In fact, lawmakers nearly doubled the increase in funding for the biennium that the governor has proposed.

The following offers highlights of the recent legislative sessions. Precollegiate enrollment figures are based on fall 2004 data reported by state officials for public elementary and secondary schools. The figures for precollegiate education spending do not include federal flow-through funds, unless noted.

Virginia

Virginia lawmakers have approved only minor increases in the current biennial K-12 budget that covers fiscal years 2005 and 2006. Gov. Mark Warner, who is in his fourth and final year in office, signed the spending measure.

Because the Virginia Constitution allows governors to serve only a single four-year term at a time, Gov. Warner hoped to make his final legislative session a good one for public schools. He succeeded only in part.

Lawmakers resisted the Democrat’s plans to raise state spending for school breakfasts and other smaller programs.

This year’s adjustment of the biennial budget increases state aid for schools by $46.7 million, or less than 1 percent, in the fiscal year that begins July 1. The slight increase keeps state aid for K-12 schools at about $10.1 billion in fiscal 2006. It will be added to last year’s $1.5 billion jump in K-12 funding for the entire biennium.

The budgets for schools have improved under the governor’s watch, though that has been the result of action by the governor and the legislature.

Last year, the Republican-controlled legislature approved Mr. Warner’s major overhaul of the state tax code and raised sales taxes to provide more money for schools and other state services. In fact, lawmakers nearly doubled the increase in funding for the biennium that the governor has proposed.

Events

This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
School & District Management
Moving the Needle on Attendance: What’s Working NOW
See how family engagement is improving attendance, and how to put it to work in schools.
Content provided by TalkingPoints
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Assessment Webinar
Rethinking STEM Assessment: Strategies for Administrators
School and district leaders will explore strategies to enhance STEM assessment practices across their district, within schools and classrooms.
Content provided by Project Lead The Way
Federal Webinar Keeping Up with the Trump Administration's Latest K-12 Moves: Subscriber-Exclusive Quick Hit
EdWeek subscribers, join this 30-minute webinar to find out what the latest federal policy changes mean for K-12 education.

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

Education Quiz What Is the #1 Factor Boosting Students' STEM Motivation? Take This Weekly Quiz
Test your knowledge on the latest news and trends in education.
1 min read
Education Briefly Stated: June 4, 2025
Here's a look at some recent Education Week articles you may have missed.
8 min read
Education Quiz Why Did A Court Dismiss the Lawsuit Against Lucy Calkins? Take This Weekly Quiz
Test your knowledge on the latest news and trends in education.
1 min read
Education Quiz What Major Education Funding Changes Did Trump Make in May? Take This Weekly Quiz
Test your knowledge on the latest news and trends in education.
1 min read