NORFOLK, Va. — Governor Glenn Youngkin addressed the "catastrophic learning loss" in Virginia by announcing a new tutoring partnership meant to bolster students' declining reading and math scores.
"We cannot wait, not even a single minute," said Youngkin. "Our children cannot afford it anymore."
This partnership falls on the heels of The 2022 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) — also known as the "nation's report card" — which found that a majority of states saw scores decline for fourth and eighth graders in mathematics and reading between 2019 and 2022.
The partnership includes the Urban Leagues of Hampton Roads and Greater Richmond and four Historically Black Colleges and Universities: Norfolk State University, Hampton University, Virginia State University, and Virginia Union University.
Together, they will encourage enrolled college and university students to tutor K-12 students in Hampton, Portsmouth, and Petersburg.
"We will be prioritizing, or that the school divisions are prioritizing those students who have the greatest learning needs right now," said Aimee Guidera, Virginia's Secretary of Education.
A spokesperson for Portsmouth School Division released the following statement about the partnership:
We look forward to receiving more information about the tutoring program and how it will be implemented in our schools. We are hopeful this will be a benefit to both our students as well as the participants from Norfolk State.
A spokesperson for Hampton School Divison echoed similar thoughts.
Hampton City Schools is pleased to continue our partnership with Hampton University. We look forward to designing and implementing a partnership tutorial initiative that is aligned with Hampton City Schools' and the university's mission.
The new partnership will be funded through $2 billion set aside by the Commonwealth for COVID-19 relief and education.