Our Priorities

Special interests are pushing for the expansion of private school vouchers to shift resources away from our public schools, which serve most school-aged children in West Virginia. These programs divert vital resources from our public schools to subsidize private schools and wealthy families instead. A wide body of research clearly shows that voucher programs do not improve educational outcomes, but fully and fairly funding our public schools does.
In just the first year of the Hope Scholarship, West Virginia’s vouchers program, hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars left West Virginia to go to out-of-state private schools, while nearly $2 million went to unaccredited schools that do not meet educator certification or curriculum standards.
We believe strongly that public taxpayer funds belong in public schools, and the best way to support our students is to make sure their schools are properly resourced. We will stand against any attempt to further divert public money to unaccountable private schools.

We know that our students can’t learn as well when they’re struggling emotionally, so mental health support for our K-12 students is a necessity. We can ensure students have sufficient access to school counselors, social workers, and therapists by increasing state funding and improving student-to-counselor ratios.
When we prioritize our students’ mental health it allows them to focus on their classes and prepare for life after graduation. Legislators can expand mental health services by supporting adequate funding to decrease ratios for school counselors, licensed mental and physical health staff, and other student support staff as well as expanding flexible school-based mental health funding.
Additionally, West Virginia can ensure the gains in learning made with federal pandemic-era education funding are not lost by using state dollars to replace ESSER funding in all 55 school districts. This will allow them to maintain support staff positions that made those gains possible.

Making sure students feel safe, welcomed, and valued in their schools is essential for their well-being and academic success. Our schools are safest when students and families feel supported. An investment in creating positive school climates is an investment in the safety and well-being of our students.
Our elected representatives must acknowledge that efforts to increase punishment and discipline fall disproportionately on Black students, low-income students, and youth in foster care. Furthermore, siphoning public funds away from public schools through vouchers takes valuable resources away from at-risk students who need school supports the most, making discipline issues worse across the board.
We believe lawmakers should support safe and restorative environments for our students by investing in positive behavioral intervention programs, increasing support for community schools programs, and supporting mentorship programs to provide students with additional supportive adults from similar backgrounds who can make them feel safe, supported, and heard.

Get in touch