PORTSMOUTH, Va. — Five million dollars are on the way to Virginia schools to revitalize infrastructure.
It’s all part of an almost $50 million infrastructure grant from the U.S. Department of Education being dispersed between eight states across the country.
On Thursday afternoon, U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, and U.S. Rep. Bobby Scott visited Victory Elementary School in Portsmouth to discuss how that $5 million over five years can be used.
During the tour and a roundtable with superintendents across the seven cities, Cardona emphasized the need for strong infrastructure in schools.
"Infrastructure is equity. Infrastructure leads to achievement," he said.
Congressman Scott noted a 2020 government study that said half of the school districts in the country need to repair or replace major systems in more than half of their buildings. He went on to say it's not right that students and teachers are forced to work and learn in "outdated and hazardous school buildings," citing "chronic neglect."
"Unfortunately, these kinds of improvements are too often the exception, not the rule due to disinvestment," said Scott. "Students and educators, particularly in our most under-resourced schools, are learning and working in crumbling buildings, that are afflicted with asbestos, contaminated water and mold."
The superintendents in the room emphasized security concerns in older buildings, saying in some of them, front office staff can't see who is coming in and out. Dr. Michele Mitchell with Newport News said cameras help, but they're retrofitting buildings that weren't originally built with that in mind, saying in many of them and overcrowding.
Cardona agreed with that point saying many of these 50+ year-old schools were not built with the threat of a school shooting in mind.
The superintendents also touched on the struggles of paying for and replacing HVAC and electrical systems and weighing the cost of putting on band-aids or building new facilities.
Another point brought up by Chesapeake Superintendent Dr. Jared Cotton is overcrowding in schools and putting students in portable learning facilities while crews renovate the buildings. He also noted it's difficult to decide which school gets the attention next because they almost all need something.
"We realize we all have to work together and that is what we heard from the regional superintendents today," said Senator Kaine.
Secretary Cardona said leaving these schools in bad shape is not only taking away from the students but also making recruiting teachers even harder.
"People are leaving the profession and a big part of it is working conditions."
So, as part of the Supporting America’s School Infrastructure Program (SASI), Virginia will get $5 million over five years with the goal of more equitable access to healthy, sustainable, and modern learning environments.
"This is about kids and giving them a fair shot at success. This is about evolving our schools to meet the demand that we’re gonna have in this country," said Cardona.
The eight states that are receiving the funds will be able to conduct school facility needs assessments, hire new staff, and develop or improve public school infrastructure data systems. Virginia is receiving the most money out of the eight selected.
The SASI program is the first in the Department’s history intended to increase state capacity to support underserved school districts to improve their school facilities. Cardona said they want to see how the first eight states will use the money to work moving forward.