Democratic lawmakers agree that it’s necessary to spend more on teachers for English language learners, but they have different takes on how to address the shortage.
Students learning English face challenges that their native-speaking peers don’t. They’re also less likely to graduate on time and pass their SOL tests, according to the Virginia Department of Education.
"That really speaks to the fact that we’re not adequately staffing schools to help serve these students," says Chris Duncombe, policy director for the nonpartisan Commonwealth Institute for Fiscal Analysis. He says the current law of 1 teacher for every 59 English learners isn’t enough to address students’ needs.
Recently updated standards from the Board of Education aim to lower that ratio based on students’ proficiency level, with 1 teacher for every 25 beginners. Governor Northam wants to use millions of dollars to shrink class sizes. "But there’s some notable differences between what the governor proposed and those recommendations," Duncombe points out.
Northam's proposal is backed by the Senate’s budget, which would pay for a fixed decrease to 1 teacher for every 50 English learners. Meanwhile, the House version allocates millions of dollars less for teachers.
No branch of government included funds to fully meet the Board of Education’s recommendations.
This report, provided by Virginia Public Radio, was made possible with support from the Virginia Education Association.
