VIRGINIA CARES RESOLUTION
(long form)
WHEREAS, the members of the (name of organization/agency)
recognize the need to provide the children of this Commonwealth with a quality
education consistent with the intellectual demands and rapid technological
advances existing in this “Information Age”; and,
WHEREAS, this (organization/agency)
has historically supported the provision of a comprehensive, rigorous, and
innovative education experience for students to prepare them for graduation,
university and/or entry into the workplace; and,
WHEREAS, this (organization/agency)
is now and has been committed to promoting high student achievement by
maintaining lower teacher-pupil ratios; employing, developing and retaining
effective classroom teachers and promotion of a sound academic curriculum; and,
WHEREAS, educational expenses have
significantly increased in order to meet state accountability mandates and
satisfy the operational and capital improvement needs of the (name of
organization/agency) without corresponding increases in state funding; and,
WHEREAS, the current state method of
funding public education under the Standards of Quality does not reflect the
true “prevailing costs” incurred by school divisions across the Commonwealth of
Virginia in that the state funds far less than its implied share and places an
undue financial burden on localities to meet deficiencies in local educational
budgets; and,
WHEREAS, the time has come to
reevaluate Virginia’s method of funding public education to more accurately
reflect the actual costs being incurred across the state by school divisions to
include, but not necessarily be limited to, administrator/teacher salaries and
benefits, state programmatic mandates, cost of funding prevailing practices,
funding technology, and funding school construction and renovation; and,
WHEREAS, allocations from the state
currently are inadequate to support the total budgetary needs for public
education leaving the local community to bridge that funding gap from local
revenues; and,
WHEREAS, despite a strong economy and
low unemployment, the overall demand for services placed on the local
government far exceeds the locality’s ability to address adequately those
financial considerations without increased assistance at the state level; and,
WHEREAS, the localities are
compelled to provide increased local funding for current and future fiscal
years in order to meet state regulations and standards, maintain current
programs and retain and attract high quality teachers and staff in a
competitive job market while maintaining and providing adequate facilities;
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that
the (name of organization/agency) does endorse the action taken and the
concerns expressed by the Virginia Consortium for Adequate Resources for
Education (Virginia CAREs) in its position paper and does call upon the
Virginia General Assembly to review and ultimately revise the Standards of
Quality funding formula to identify and reflect therein the actual prevailing
best practices across the state necessary to insure the continued improvement
of Virginia’s public education system.
Adopted this __________________ day of ______________________________, 2001.
_________________________________ __________________________________
Name
(Signature) School
Board/Organization/Agency
