STATE OF EDUCATION FUNDING
Virginia
Fair school funding systems ensure that districts, schools, and ultimately students receive significant additional funding according to their specific needs. Providing high-quality learning opportunities for students living in poverty, English learners, students with disabilities, and rural students requires additional resources.
According to The Education Trust’s State of Funding Equity, in Virginia:
- The highest poverty districts receive $416 or 3% more state and local revenue than the lowest poverty districts.
- The districts serving the most students of color receive $722 or 5% less state and local revenue per student than the districts serving the fewest students of color.
- The districts serving the most English learners receive $110 or 0.8% more state and local revenue per student than the districts serving the fewest English learners.
For more information about how these data compare with other states or district specific information, see The Education Trust’s State of Funding Equity report.
Learn more about
how Virginia
funds students
According to EdBuild, “Virginia has a hybrid funding formula incorporating both resource-based and student-based elements. It determines the cost of delivering education to a student with no special needs or services based on costs associated with the programs and resources mandated through the state’s statutory standards of quality. This cost is then used as a base amount. The categories of students considered in Virginia’s funding policy are students in certain grade levels, English-language learners (ELLs), low-income students and students in high-poverty districts, students with disabilities, students identified as gifted, and students enrolled in career and technical education (CTE) programs.”
The Education Law Center’s 2023 Making the Grade Report rated Virginia’s school funding:
- D on per-pupil funding relative to the national average.
- D on the percentage difference in per-pupil funding in high-poverty districts relative to low-poverty districts.
- D on the PK-12 funding as a percentage of state GDP.
How fair is
Virginia’s Funding?
Strong schools build strong communities, and that starts with fair and transparent funding. Our State Ratings Rubric shows how Virginia is doing when it comes to making sure every student gets the resources they need to thrive. Using criteria grounded in research, best practices, and what we know works for students, we rate Virginia across five key areas: whether the state funds students adequately, funds student needs equitably, funds districts appropriately, funds students transparently and effectively, and keeps public dollars in public schools.
To explore ratings across Southern states and learn more about the criteria we use, click here.
| Component | Description | Rating | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| FUND STUDENTS ADEQUATELY | |||
| Funding Adequacy | Per student funding is at or above the national average ($16,645). | Yellow | Per student funding was $1,794 less than the national average in the 2021-22 school year. |
| Yearly Increases | Base funding for all students increases every year to account for inflation. | Yellow | The per-student base amount increased by 2.1% for the 2025-26 school year, from $8,340 to $8,524. |
| Progressive Tax Policies | The state maintains healthy revenue sources for schools. | Yellow | No major reforms to property, income, or sales tax in 2025. |
| FUND STUDENT NEEDS EQUITABLY | |||
| Student-Based Formula | The funding formula is primarily student-based. | Yellow | Hybrid formula. |
| Students from Low-Income Backgrounds | The state provides additional funds for students from low-income backgrounds. | Red | No additional funding for individual students from low-income backgrounds. (see Concentrated Poverty) |
| English Learners | The state provides additional funds for English Learners. | Yellow | Some additional funding is provided based on standard teacher-student ratios of 1:50. |
| Students with Disabilities | The state provides additional funds for students with disabilities, based on their needs. | Red | Additional funding is provided based on estimated staffing costs, regardless of the types of disabilities students have. |
| FUND DISTRICTS APPROPRIATELY | |||
| Cost Sharing | The state requires local governments to share the cost based on their ability to pay. | Yellow | Local governments contribute 45% on average, based on their revenue from property, sales, and other taxes. |
| Local Revenue Cap | The state limits wealthy districts from contributing excessively more than other districts. | Red | The state does not set a cap. |
| Rural Districts | Small districts and districts with few students per square mile ("sparse districts") receive additional funds. | Red | No additional funding. |
| Concentrated Poverty | Districts with high concentrations of poverty receive additional funds. | Red | Additional funding based on the district poverty level, up to 37% more per student. |
| FUND STUDENTS TRANSPARENTLY & EFFECTIVELY | |||
| Formula Transparency | The funding formula is easy to understand and clearly explained. | Red | The formula is complicated and not clearly explained. |
| Funding Data | The state shares detailed, timely, and user-friendly public data on districts’ funding. | Red | Data is not shared on Virginia's Department of Education website. |
| District Spending Plans | The state requires districts to share public reports about how they invest funds to meet students' needs. | Red | No requirement. |
| Formula Review | The state requires a clear, stakeholder-led process to evaluate the formula and recommend improvements. | Yellow | A state board committee reviews the formula every two years and invites stakeholders to submit public comment. |
| FUND PUBLIC SCHOOLS EXCLUSIVELY | |||
| Vouchers | The state does not divert public funds to private schools through voucher programs, education savings accounts, or scholarship tax credits. | Yellow | The Education Improvement Scholarship Tax Credit Program provides vouchers with some income restrictions. |
Who’s Who
in Virginia
Legislature
The Virginia General Assembly is the legislative body of the Commonwealth of Virginia. The bicameral body is composed of the House of Delegates with 100 members and the Senate of Virginia with 40 members. The Virginia Senate has a standing committee on Education and Health and the House of Delegates has a standing Education committee. In 2024, the General Assembly will convene January 10, 2024 and is scheduled to adjourn March 9, 2024.
State Superintendent of Education
The Virginia State Superintendent of Public Instruction is appointed by the governor and subject to confirmation by the General Assembly. The Superintendent is the executive officer of the Virginia Department of Education, which oversees the Commonwealth’s public schools.
State Board of Education
The Virginia Board of Education (BESE) is composed of nine members appointed by the governor and subject to confirmation by the General Assembly. The members serve four years.
Virginia also has a Secretary of Education, appointed by the governor and subject to confirmation by the General Assembly, that provides guidance to the Virginia Department of Education and the state’s various postsecondary institutions.
