RICHMOND — Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) summoned leaders of many of Virginia’s public and private institutions of higher learning to the capital Thursday to tout his proposal for forming “lab schools” that partner colleges and universities with K-12 schools.
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Standing behind the governor on a stage along with several dozen children, the leaders helped Youngkin in an unusual effort to apply campaign-style pressure on the General Assembly to support his initiative, with bills in committee in both the House of Delegates and Senate.
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“Through partnerships with colleges and universities and their local school divisions, we can create learning environments that engage students in hands-on learning,” Youngkin said in a news conference. “Let’s think outside the box. … We are not defining the solution but opening up all available avenues to be innovative."
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The event seemed to be aimed at projecting unity after two weeks of culture-war clashes provoked by Youngkin’s education policies. His executive order giving parents the right to opt out of school mask mandates has drawn lawsuits and protests around Virginia, and his order banning the teaching of critical race theory has prompted emotional confrontations in the General Assembly.
The new legislation would allow any institution of higher learning as well as private companies to form lab school partnerships with localities, and is separate from Youngkin’s push to expand public charter schools.
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Under current law, only colleges or universities with teacher education programs are permitted to create lab schools with localities. Youngkin’s office said there are currently no such schools in Virginia.
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Youngkin is requesting $150 million from the state budget to support the program. Local school boards would be able to convert all or part of an existing facility into a “lab school,” Youngkin said.
Under a partnership agreement he signed Thursday, the governor challenged school districts around Virginia to submit plans for lab schools to the state by this spring.
A panel will review the plans and select those that should move forward, Youngkin said — provided the General Assembly approves the idea.
In promoting his plan, Youngkin put particular emphasis on the state’s historically Black colleges and universities as potential participants. Hampton University President William Harvey rose from his seat to hug Youngkin at Thursday’s event. Youngkin said he began formulating the plan after meeting with Harvey last year.
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The presidents of Virginia State University and Virginia Union University also attended, and Norfolk State University President Javaune Adams-Gaston spoke in favor of the plan — with the caveat that the state must support it financially.
“The commitment comes with funding. Let me say that again, the commitment comes with funding,” Adams-Gaston said. “We can’t do it without the funding, and the continued funding for excellence.”
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Other administrators onstage with Youngkin included presidents from Old Dominion, Mary Washington, Virginia Tech, Virginia Commonwealth, Christopher Newport and George Mason, as well as top officials from William and Mary, the University of Virginia and about 15 more.
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They were joined by a few dozen children from area public and private schools as well as home-school families, according to a list from the governor’s office.
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In a brief exchange with reporters, Youngkin said he anticipates bipartisan support for the lab schools proposal.
Asked how he would ensure that existing public schools are not harmed by a loss of revenue and students to the lab schools, Youngkin said that it will be important for the lab schools to be designed to complement the rest of a public school system.
“It is in fact part of the public school system. It is not outside the public school system,” he said. “We fully desire and expect that our lab school initiative will be a fundamental part going forward of our public school education.”
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Several Democrats expressed concern Thursday with the part of the legislation that allows private companies to set up the lab schools.
“That’s just a no-go,” said Del. Schuyler T. VanValkenburg (D-Henrico), a high school civics teacher who sits on the House Education committee. “That’s taking money away from public schools.”
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To the degree the plan allows localities to “organically” create partnerships between K-12 and colleges or universities, he said, “that’s something worth talking about.”
Youngkin said it would be up to localities if they wanted to design a lab school that involves a for-profit company. “The heart of the lab schools will be our higher education working with school boards,” he said.
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But, he added, “I do see this opportunity for us to bring businesses who have particular training or long-term needs for workforce to actually give advice or counsel for what kind of curriculum might best fit. … This is a chance for us to tap into all kinds of good ideas, and I know it’s hard to believe sometimes but some of them actually come from the business community.”
Correction: A previous version of this article incorrectly spelled the name of Norfolk State University’s president. She is Javaune Adams-Gaston, not Jauvane Adams-Gaston. The article has been corrected.