Illustration by Justin Vaughan
All nine seats on the Richmond School Board are on the ballot, with six incumbents seeking reelection.
Founded in 1868 as the local governing body of Richmond Public Schools, the board implements school policies, facilitates public debates, determines spending, and hires and fires the superintendent. School Board members do not declare a party affiliation and are elected by district to a four-year term. A chair and vice chair are elected by their board peers. In its next term, the School Board will address new tech challenges while continuing to seek solutions to ongoing problems regarding funding, student safety and performance.
School Construction and Modernization: Virginia faces a $50 billion budget deficit in school construction projects, and RPS is especially impacted. About 40% of Richmond’s 52 schools and office buildings have not had a major renovation in at least 50 years. Some are in disrepair, while others lack modern technology. In addition, schools aren’t large enough to accommodate growing class sizes, which has led to overcrowding and use of portable classroom buildings. While the budget calls for $17.6 million for its 2025 capital improvement plan, the School Board will face significant shortages and will have to prioritize projects. (The price tag for the new Richmond High School is $150 million, for example.)
Post-Pandemic Performance: According to The Annie E. Casey Foundation, students nationwide have yet to rebound from effects of the pandemic, including struggles with academics, mental health and social-emotional development. To help catch up, the RPS School Board approved 20 extra days at Fairfield Court Elementary and Cardinal Elementary School in a pilot program last year. The new board may vote to expand the school year citywide and look for other ways to get students where they need to be.
Security and Safety: Firearms are the leading cause of death in American children and teens, according to data reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In April, Superintendent Jason Kamras reported that 169 juveniles had been shot in Richmond since 2019, most of whom were public school students. The school system last year installed metal detectors in its middle schools and implemented a clear bag policy for this year. Henrico County added metal detectors to its elementary schools last year, and the new Richmond School Board could vote to follow suit.
Cellphones in Schools: From cyberbullying and harmful viral videos to in-class texting and gaming, cellphones have proved to be a nuisance in schools. More than 70% of high school teachers say phone distraction is a major problem, according to a recent Pew Research Center report. Last year, six city schools piloted new rules on cellphone use and, in August, the Virginia Department of Education issued draft guidance for “cellphone-free education policies and procedures” across the commonwealth. School divisions must enact similar policies by Jan. 1.
RPS Funding
Richmond Public Schools’ $512 million operating budget for fiscal year 2025 comes from the general fund and a special revenue fund. Of the $415 million general fund, the city contributes 58%, the state contributes 39%, the federal government contributes 0.2% and grants account for the remaining revenue sources. The special revenue fund, from programs like Title I and Head Start, is approximately $97 million. There is also a $17.6 million budget for the capital improvement plan funded by the city of Richmond for school infrastructure projects.
