from Wayne Powell:
Dear Friends:
Investment in our public education is essential. Adequate support for public education and prioritizing academic success is vital to a strong economy. We should reduce classroom sizes so we can give every child the very best education that we can provide.
Roughly half of the poorest pre-school age children in Virginia do not attend pre-kindergarten classes. We need to make sure the least fortunate among our students have access to the best programs. I want to make programs like STEAM and the VA Pre-School Initiative a priority and ensure they are appropriately maintained. Virginia cannot seek to hold our children to the highest standard if the system is underfunded. Chesterfield County has received over 14% less funding in the past seven years from the state. This is unacceptable and we cannot tolerate it any longer.
New research and data on education is always being gathered and we should try to implement the best ideas quickly and efficiently. Statistics and research confirm that SOL testing is not the most accurate indicator of a child’s success in the classroom; indicating we need to find a more balance approach to help them reach their potential.
Every child is different and every child has a different background and upbringing, meaning we must be aware of a child’s situation and respond by making sure every child has a fair chance of being successful in the classroom. Statistics show that poverty and poor nutrition at home can negatively impact a child's performance in the classroom. Subsidized meals make sure that our children can concentrate when they are in school and draw on all the tools they have to be successful. While Congress has paralyzed numerous quality education programs, we cannot afford to sell our kids short. We need to fill the gaps left to us by Washington's broken priorities.
Public education needs an advocate at the Senate level in order to ensure that our children have the best chance to succeed later in life. We have world class children in Virginia. Now we need to make sure they have a world class education.
I was honored to have your support when I ran against Eric Cantor and I am asking for you to join me for one more campaign. Please pay a visit to www.powellforsenate.com to make a donation and to get involved.
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