Join us in Richmond on 2/3 for our annual Advocacy Day! We'll spend the day connecting with our elected representatives to urge them to give our public schools the funding that they need. Anyone is welcome, you can register here: bit.ly/FOSAD26

"The public benefit of the education of any one individual — and the collective of all students — is profound in terms of social cohesion and economic success, so society has a vested interest in supporting public education as a public good." www.learningforjustice.org/magazine/why...

All students should have the opportunity to thrive, regardless of where they live or how much money their family has. We'll be focusing on in these priorities in the upcoming #VaLeg session to get us closer to that goal. Read more: www.fundourschoolsva.org/2026-legisla...

Why do #PublicSchoolsMatter? 📲 Revisit #LearningForJustice's article: https://bit.ly/4rqIHcz 1 reason ➡️ Unlike private schools, free #PublicSchools accept all students — regardless of ability to pay, identity, disability or immigration status — and are an example of #Democracy in action 💪.

90% of students in America attend public schools—and they deserve the resources to thrive. When we fund our schools, we invest in our future. 💡 #WeBelieveInPublicEducation #AEW2025

"The Trump administration unveiled a sweeping plan Tuesday to sidestep Congress and outsource large pieces of the U.S. Department of Education" www.whro.org/2025-11-18/t...

It's scary when our schools don't receive enough funding to: 🎃 be fully staffed 🎃 maintain and update buildings 🎃 support mental health and community engagement That's why we're fighting for the state and federal governments to do their part and fund our schools!

Youth and allies - join the Safe & Restorative Schools Learning Tour! The Black Youth Mental Health Collaborative is recruiting youth to lead convos with decision-makers and gain leadership skills. We're also looking for adults and orgs to support. Learn more: transformativechanges.org/safer-schools

Curious how the ongoing federal shutdown is impacting our public schools? Check out this handy tracker from @edweek.org for a breakdown: www.edweek.org/policy-polit...

"Some U.S. schools are facing an immediate funding threat due to the government shutdown, while others are nervously eyeing their cash reserves and wondering how long the closure will last." thehill.com/homenews/edu...

"The students and schools that will be immediately impacted by the halt in federal funding are schools that receive Impact Aid and are located on tax-exempt federal lands, such as military bases and Native American reservations" abcnews.go.com/GMA/Living/g...

"Officials shuttered seven of the 12 regional offices of the agency's Office for Civil Rights, leaving a skeleton staff to investigate thousands of complaints filed each year, according to attorneys and advocates for the disabled." abcnews.go.com/Health/paren...

"According to the Virginia Department of Education Teacher Vacancy Dashboard, updated on Mar. 12, Virginia public schools had more than 3,200 unfilled teaching positions in the 2024-25 school year." vadogwood.com/2025/09/04/v...

"The delayed funds, which were frozen just weeks before the start of the school year this year, had left many communities and school districts uncertain if they would be able to sustain programs." www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

We are excited to announce our 2025 Education Champions: @senatorhashmi.bsky.social, Senator Pekarsky, Delegate Bulova, Delegate Coyner, Delegate McQuinn, and Delegate @samrasoul.bsky.social! Learn more about these legislators and why they were chosen: www.fundourschoolsva.org/announcing-o...

We believe strongly that the US Education Department should not be weaponizing federal funding to punish our public schools, and we stand with the five school divisions in NOVA that are having their federal funding threatened. Learn more: patch.com/virginia/ash...

Please join us in welcoming our newest coalition member, the Virginia Association of School Social Workers! VASSW is dedicated to promoting excellence in school social work, supporting student and family well-being, and advocating for quality education across VA. Learn more: vassw.org

It's crucial for everyone to be involved in the fight for public school funding, including through events like our town halls! If you want to share your input for our 2026 legislative priorities, you can do so using this survey: bit.ly/FOSSurvey2025 www.cbs19news.com/news/fund-ou...

Coming up tomorrow, don't forget to register!

Access to support staff helped DJ graduate high school and think about his future in new ways. Now, thanks to advocates' hard work, increased support staff funding means even more students will be able to reach their potential. #FundOurSchools 🔗via @wric.com

Coming up next week!

Even though the Trump administration has now released the more than $6B in public school funding that they temporarily froze, the freeze and the uncertainty that came with it created lasting impacts for many school districts. This is how some programs were affected: stateline.org/2025/07/31/d...

We are holding another Town Hall on 8/12 - virtual this time! If you missed our Richmond event this is a great opportunity to learn more about what's happening with school funding policy and give your input for our 2026 legislative priorities. RSVP: bit.ly/FOSVirtual

Some of our coalition members had a great time attending EdTrust-Tennessee's School Finance Institute! Our very own Alex Blocker of the Legal Aid Justice Center was part of a panel discussion and presented about how we won full funding for school support staff.

After weeks of advocacy on all levels calling for the withheld funds to be released, the Trump administration has finally agreed to give our schools the money they are owed. www.washingtonpost.com/education/20...

"Albemarle County . . . said the federal government is holding back about $660,000 that go toward Title programs such as Head Start and other Title programs. A Charlottesville City Schools release said they have about $417,000 the feds are holding back." cvillerightnow.com/news/208802-...

Thank you to everyone who joined us for our Town Hall event in Richmond last week! We had some great discussions about funding issues in our public schools. If you couldn't make it but still want to share thoughts, you can fill out this survey: bit.ly/FOSSurvey2025

Already-appropriated funds being withheld from school districts are already having a big impact on VA schools, including Roanoke's English Learner programs. We and over 600 other orgs have signed onto a letter demanding the release of the funds. www.edweek.org/teaching-lea...

Coming up tomorrow, we hope to see you there!

The Trump administration's withholding of money allocated by Congress for public schools is already impacting some Virginia school districts. This is how it's impacting Loudoun County Public Schools: www.loudountimes.com/0local-or-no...

Our Town Hall event in Richmond is one week away - we hope to see you there!

"Education providers are sounding the alarm about the funding that impacts millions of students, teachers, and families, telling ABC News they fear that low-income students and families will be left in a bind with no other options of care for their children." abcnews.go.com/US/trump-adm...

The federal budget bill that passed the Senate today would harm our students, our families, and our communities. Now the bill will head back to the House again. Contact your reps and urge them to oppose private school vouchers and cuts to Medicaid: fundourschoolsva.org/take-action/

Join us on July 15 in Richmond for an in-person town hall about public school funding! We want to hear from parents, teachers, school staff, students, and community members about the most pressing public school funding issues that you see in your community.

"The Trump administration is signaling that it may defy Congress and withhold billions of dollars in federal formula grants that school districts and states expect to start receiving on July 1 - including funding that supports vulnerable students" www.edweek.org/policy-polit...

"The mounting layers of confusion and chaos have many district leaders on edge about what may be in store come July 1—the day when states and districts every year begin receiving federal funding in advance of the federal fiscal year that starts Oct. 1." www.edweek.org/policy-polit...

Last week we held a hybrid gathering in Richmond to do some deep thinking about coalition strategy and plan for next year's legislative session!

Our public schools are facing a serious set of threats from the government that could severely diminish the quality of our children's education. Learn more about some of those threats and how they overlap: www.washingtonpost.com/education/in...

"Medicaid is the fourth-largest source of funding for the public school system, supporting over $7.5 billion of school-based health services annually, according to the Healthy Schools Campaign." Take action: bit.ly/FOSAct www.nea.org/nea-today/al...

Voucher programs don't help our young people succeed. Investing in public school does. Take action: bit.ly/FOSAct www.npr.org/2025/05/29/n...

The federal budget bill passed by the House last week includes a private school voucher scheme and cuts to Medicaid that would hurt public school funding by blowing a hold in our state budget. Contact your representatives: bit.ly/FOSAct

The federal voucher program included in the budget reconciliation bill passed by the House last week would harm our students, our schools, and our communities. Here's a breakdown on how and why: www.npr.org/2025/05/23/n...

There’s still time to take action! Contact your congressperson here: bit.ly/FOSAct

The House Republican budget proposal is likely to include a $5 billion annual national voucher program as well as major cuts to Medicaid that would blow a hole in VA’s state budget and lead to many families losing their health coverage. Take action: bit.ly/FOSAct

Something you might not know: school meal programs are often linked to Medicaid. So when Medicaid gets slashed, students lose healthcare AND miss meals. Congress is considering deep cuts to Medicaid—and the consequences could be huge. buff.ly/rHQ5sH2

With the state budget signed, the 2025 VA legislative session is officially over! We made some great progress for our public schools, but we also have a long way to go. Here's our session recap with a breakdown on wins and areas for improvement: www.fundourschoolsva.org/2025-legisla...

The House Republican budget proposal includes $5 billion for a national voucher program that would funnel public money to private schools. This program will be terrible for our students and schools if passed, and we call on lawmakers to oppose it. www.nytimes.com/2025/05/13/u...

"Even if qualified care providers were plentiful, with their tight budgets, rural schools often find themselves having to choose between hiring a counselor or other type of staff member." www.edsurge.com/news/2025-05...

Happy Teacher Appreciation Week! Our educators do so much for our children and our communities, and we deeply value their work. One of the best ways to show appreciation is by making sure our teachers are well-compensated, which is why we consistently advocate for pay raises for school staff.

The state budget has finally been signed and includes big investments in public schools, including fully lifting the support cap and increasing special education funding!