FILE - Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin speaks during news conference announcing the Department of Education report on education Thursday May 19, 2022, in Richmond, Va. A GOP sweep of Virginia’s 2021 statewide elections, and particularly Youngkin’s win, appears to have energized the Republican field in two of the country’s most competitive U.S. House races. (AP Photo/Steve Helber, File)
Education Roundup: Youngkin’s “Report Card” on Schools Indicates Less-Than-Stellar Performance

Since Youngkin took office in January 2022 after building his campaign on attacking the state’s public education system, he’s made a multitude of questionable decisions involving schools in Virginia.

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, a Republican, speaks to members of the media after the General Assembly adjourned for the year inside the Rotunda of the State Capitol Building, late Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023. (AP Photo/John C. Clark)
Youngkin’s $201 Million School Funding Error Still Isn’t Fully Fixed

The legislature’s stopgap budget provided just $16.8 million toward fixing the $201 million problem. 

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, a Republican, speaks to members of the media after the General Assembly adjourned for the year inside the Rotunda of the State Capitol Building, late Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023. Youngkin said he was disappointed that the 15-week pain threshold abortion bill failed to pass the Senate, stating that a majority of Virginians support the bill. (AP Photo/John C. Clark)
Virginia General Assembly Patches Youngkin’s $201 Million School Budget Mistake

On Feb. 25, over two months after the VDOE found its error, Virginia lawmakers agreed to appropriate nearly $133 million for the current school year and more than $125 million for the next year. The agreement patched the hole in the education budget but fell short of fully funding Virginia’s public schools. 

Etactics Inc/Unsplash
Virginia Republicans Block Paid Family and Medical Leave Bill

Republican lawmakers in Virginia blocked an opportunity for paid family and medical leave, which would’ve benefited workers across the commonwealth.

Photo by Amy Humphries on Unsplash
Revised Virginia History Standards Move Forward Despite Public Concerns About Accuracy and Equity

The newest draft of Virginia’s History and Social Science Standards of Learning continues to generate controversy, omits Indigenous Peoples Day while including Columbus Day, and is considerably smaller in size and less comprehensive than the August draft. A 5-3 vote moved the highly contested Virginia History and Social Science Standards of Learning forward during the...

Contributed photo from the Office of Sen. Mark Warner
The FBI Eyes Virginia for Its New Headquarters 

Community leaders, members of Virginia’s federal congressional delegation, and Gov. Glenn Youngkin gathered this week to lay out multiple reasons why the commonwealth would be well suited for the new FBI headquarters location.

Contributed photo: As part of the Coalition for Virginia Future’s (CVF) lobby day on Jan. 23, teenagers from across the commonwealth came together to speak to their representatives. Abby Garber (second from right), CVF’s co-executive director, said the group talked to about 75 Virginia lawmakers concerning HB 1669 and “many others.”
Minimum Age for Minimum Wage: Virginia Bill Would Pay Workers Under 18 Three Dollars Less Per Hour

“I am still just shining from the power that we had,” said 17-year-old Abby Garber. She and other youth activists helped bring down a bill aiming to pay teens under 18 less than minimum wage.