June 14, 2024

Neighbors, 

Happy summer - I hope everyone had  a terrific school year and a fun summer planned ahead!

I was delighted to celebrate the achievements of many graduates in our community — Congratulations to the Class of 2024 at Annandale, Edison, Hayfield, Lewis, South County, and West Springfield High Schools, as well as to the students transitioning from the Pulley Career Center! 

I want to give a special shout out to our teachers as well as our school administrators and staff — thank you for all you do to support our children’s success!

In this newsletter, I’ve included information about the following:

  • Early Voting

  • Community Updates

    • Rashida Green, Bucknell Elementary School

    • April Cage, Garfield Elementary School

    • Ashley Schweizer and Suzanne Metz, North Springfield Elementary School

    • Elogien Ali, Saratoga Elementary School

    • Katelyn Hagen, South County Middle School

    • Lucy Anne Blesi, South County High School

    • Cristina Procaccino, Edison High School

    • Acting for Young People

  • Legislative Updates

    • Historic Funding for Education

    • Legislation to Strengthen Public Education

As always, let me know if you have questions or need assistance by calling my office at (804) 698-1018 or emailing me at DelKTran@house.virginia.gov. 

 

Best, Kathy

 

Kathy KL Tran

Delegate


Early Voting

Saturday, June 15 is the last day to vote early for the Tuesday, June 18 primary — You can find more information on early, in-person voting here. If you want to check your registration status, click here.  Find the location and time that works best for you, and make a plan to get out and vote!


Community Updates

Delivering Commending Resolutions to Outstanding School Staff

Throughout this Spring, I had the joy of presenting resolutions to educators in our community and commend them for going above and beyond to nurture, inspire, and mentor their students. Please join me in congratulating these outstanding educators! 


Rashida Green, Bucknell Elementary School

Delegate Paul Krizek and I recognized my constituent Bucknell Elementary School Principal Rashida Green for being named the 2023 Fairfax County Public Schools Region 3 Outstanding New Principal — we appreciate your deep commitment to empowering your students to be confident lifelong learners! 


April Cage, Garfield Elementary School

I attended the 6th promotion ceremony at Garfield Elementary and expressed my appreciation to Principal April Cage for being named the 2023 Fairfax County Public Schools Outstanding Principal — you have made a lasting impact at Garfield by creating a strong learning community where all students feel welcomed and have the resources to fulfill their potential.


Ashley Schweizer and Suzanne Metz, North Springfield Elementary School

I was pleased to recognize Ashley Schweitzer and Suzanne Metz at North Springfield Elementary School.

Ashley Schweitzer is a Multiple Disabilities Teacher and received the 2023 Fairfax County Public Schools Region 2 Outstanding Elementary School New Teacher Award— thank you for your commitment to building an environment of inclusion and acceptance at North Springfield and for being a radiating presence among the Beavers!

Suzanne Metz is a Physical Education Teacher whom I appreciated for implementing innovative strategies to ensure that her students were remembering to stay active and healthy throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.

Elogien Ali, Saratoga Elementary School

I joined Saratoga Elementary School in celebrating Elogien Ali for being the 2023 Fairfax County Public Schools’ Outstanding Elementary School New Teacher — thank you for tirelessly encouraging family engagement and developing strong relationships with your students!


Katelyn Hagen, South County Middle School

I congratulated Katelyn Hagen, an intervention specialist at South County Middle School, for being the 2023 Fairfax County Public Schools’ Outstanding School-Based Professional Employee — we are grateful for how you personify the principle of “Students first, always!”


Lucy Anne Blesi, South County High School

I presented South County High School English Teacher Lucy Anne Blesi a commendation for being named the 2023 Fairfax County Public Schools’ Region 4 Outstanding Secondary School New Teacher — our community is stronger for how you cultivate mutual respect among your students to support their academic, social, and emotional well-being and coach students on the lacrosse field.


Cristina Procaccino, Edison High School

Delegate Mark Sickles and I commended my constituent Cristina Procaccino, a Latin Teacher at Edison High School, for being named the 2023 Fairfax County Public Schools’ Region 3 Outstanding Secondary School Teacher - thank you for inspiring a deep appreciation for Latin among your students and sharing your teaching experience and subject matter expertise with other educators!


Acting for Young People

Acting for Young People (AYPF), a program through George Mason University, has instilled a love of performing arts in countless youth in Fairfax County for more than 25 years. I was honored to present Founder and Artistic Director Mary Lechter with a resolution recognizing AYPF’s contributions to our community.


Legislative Update

Historic Funding for Education

The Constitution of Virginia requires that the legislature pass a balanced budget every two years by July 1. Last month, the General Assembly met for a Special Session during which we passed a biennial budget with strong bipartisan support in the House (94-6) and the state Senate (39-1). 

I am pleased to share that we are making an historic investment funding for the public K-12 education system and early childhood education. I have included some highlights below.

Funding for K-12 Education and Support for Students

  • Provides $27.4 billion for our public education system, including an unprecedented $2.3 billion in new investments.

  • Expands funding for at-risk students by over $370 million through the At-Risk Add-On, which adds additional funding to schools districts with high poverty levels.

  • Delivers high-quality mental health services to our students by requiring the Department of Education to enter into contracts with care providers.

  • Contributes $61 million to improve reading quality specialist staffing standards to 4th-8th grades.

  • Authorizes $250 million for the Literary Fund, which provides low-interest loans for school construction.

  • Continues our work to end hunger in schools by providing $5 million to increase school breakfast reimbursements to school districts.

  • Invests $6 million to create a literary screening tool to address the rising number of students who are not proficient in reading. 

  • Allots $70 million to hire additional English language teachers and support students whose first language is not English.

Raising Teacher Pay

  • Provides the state contribution for up to a three percent salary increase each year for teachers and staff, or a total of up to a six percent increase over the biennium.

Expanding Aid for Early Childhood Education

  • Provides $1.1 billion for early childhood education, an increase of $456.7 million. This will ensure that families do not lose their childcare as federal pandemic relief funds expire.

Legislation to Strengthen Public Education

On July 1, several new laws will take effect that  improve student well-being, public education, and teacher hiring, including: 

  • Senate Bill 284 requires an assessment of the impact of universal free school meals on students.

  • House Bill 626 and Senate Bill 484 create pilot programs to divert students from behaviors that lead to gun violence by providing them with opportunities for community engagement, workforce development, postsecondary education exploration, and social-emotional education and development.

  • House Bill 937 allows school districts to explore low- or no-cost alternatives for students to get to school, like walking or bike buses.

  • House Bill 731 removes the unnecessary Virginia Communication and Literacy Assessment as a requirement to receive a teaching license; this was a recommendation of the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission’s “Virginia's K-12 Teacher Pipeline” study.

  • House Bill 1247 and Senate Bill 272 increase the number of English language teachers for students who do not speak English as their primary language. 

I am proud that two bills I introduced related to education will move forward:

  • House Bill 980 was signed into law and ensures students who report being hazed are notified about mental and behavioral health services on their college campuses. I am thankful for the support of my constituent Kalynne, the Love Like Adam Foundation, and the Virginia Education Association.

  • House Bill 984, as a result of this bill, the House of Delegates asked the Virginia Department of Education’s Early Childhood Advisory Committee to study how we can expand the availability of Head Start learning and development services at Virginia’s community colleges. I look forward to recommendations on how we can increase availability of affordable, high quality child care programs for parents who are furthering their education.