FACT SHEET

  • More than 1 in 8 Virginia K-12 students are current or former EL students.
  • For state supplemental support of EL students, Virginia only contributes a third (13.5%) of the national average (39%) beyond the baseline allocation. Virginia’s budget for this and next fiscal year failed to include any new targeted EL funding, despite including $22 million on first draft.
  • Unlike other states, Virginia fails to fund training for general education teachers who work most with EL students and doesn’t support EL learning materials.
  • Provide more adequate state funding to support EL students, similar to the national average for state supplemental support – this would be a supplement around $132 to $169 million annually.
  • Fund Virginia Board of Education updates to the Standards of Quality to increase EL instructor to student ratios more for students with less English proficiency, as national experts recommend.
  • Follow the example of states like Maryland and Michigan, and commission independent studies to assess adequate state-funding levels for EL students.