As the Virginia gubernatorial election approaches, Democratic candidate Abigail Spanberger has unveiled a detailed education reform plan, positioning herself as a strong advocate for public education. The plan focuses on addressing the state’s persistent teacher shortage, which has left many schools struggling to provide adequate instruction. Spanberger’s campaign emphasized the need to strengthen K-12 education, modernize crumbling school infrastructure, and ensure that all Virginia students—regardless of their ZIP code—have access to quality education.
Spanberger’s proposals include increasing educator salaries to retain experienced teachers and attract new talent, as well as implementing support programs to help schools recruit and retain staff. The plan also rejects efforts to reallocate public school funding to voucher programs, which she claims would undermine the quality of education for low-income students. Instead, she advocates for investing in the public education system, ensuring that schools have the resources needed to recover from the impacts of the pandemic.
The education reform plan is particularly significant given Virginia’s poor ranking in post-pandemic recovery. The Education Recovery Scorecard, which evaluates states based on their progress in improving student learning outcomes, found Virginia ranked 51st in math recovery and 41st in reading recovery. These rankings have sparked calls for more targeted interventions, such as tutoring and summer learning programs, which the state has yet to fully address.
Spanberger’s plan also extends beyond K-12 education, encompassing efforts to improve child care access and affordability for working families. This component is designed to ease the burden on parents while supporting the workforce, as child care costs continue to rise in the state. In addition, she has outlined measures to increase access to higher education by making it more affordable and by investing in Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) across Virginia, which face unique challenges in securing funding and resources.
The education reform plan is further shaped by Virginia’s recent political battles over school policies. The state has seen intense debates over parental involvement in education, with former Governor Glenn Youngkin and his opposition highlighting the importance of parental rights. Spanberger has condemned efforts to politicize education, particularly in the context of school board meetings that have become hotly contested. She has called for a focus on educational outcomes rather than divisive cultural issues, which she argues have distracted from the core mission of public schools.
Spanberger’s campaign has also faced criticism for its approach to the race, with some suggesting that her opposition to Youngkin’s policies on education has been politically motivated. Nonetheless, her personal commitment to education—highlighted by her own daughters attending public schools—has reinforced her message of prioritizing student success. The broader implications of her plan reflect ongoing efforts to address systemic inequities in education and to prepare Virginia’s students for a competitive future.