Episode 2: Education
On the Soapbox-Education Policy in Virginia
I recently hosted a delegation of Virginia legislators from the Tidewater and Petersburg areas to meet with corporate leaders from several of Virginia’s largest technology companies. As we toured the facilities of Micron Technologies, Oracle, AOL and Microsoft, I asked a straightforward question to each of the company representatives: “What caused your company to locate and stay in Virginia?” The answer was straightforward. Virginia’s public universities and colleges are of a caliber that companies can readily tap into a highly skilled labor pool on a continual basis.
The message was not lost on anyone. There is a direct relationship between targeted investments by the public sector and growing our private sector. In particular, the strength of a public education system strongly correlates with the strength of our regional and statewide economies.
Of course, a great system of higher education relies upon students receiving a quality education during the early years. We know empirically the importance of having children reading at an age-appropriate level by the 3rd grade, and we also know the high cost of remediation when students fall behind. Continuity in the quality of our public education structure must exist at all levels in order to continue producing the highly skilled workforce that keeps Virginia’s economy strong.
With this realization, several challenges arise. First, we need to ensure that the measurements for gauging success are both fair and accurate. Second, we need to make sure that we are investing adequate resources towards public instruction and utilizing the resources of the private sector when appropriate. Third, we need to ensure that we are making efficient use of existing resources by minimizing operational expenses and maximizing resources directed towards the classroom.
Public education is a key component of any successful society. In order to compete in a global marketplace, our need constantly to improve Virginia’s educational structure is a necessity. In this episode of “The View from Virginia,” featuring Virginia Secretary of Education Tom Morris, we explore these issues further.
- Steve Shannon
Episode 2: Education with Thomas Morris, Secretary of Education
In this week’s show, Steve Shannon interviews Virginia’s Secretary of Education, Dr. Thomas Morris. They discuss efforts underway to strengthen education programs from early childhood to higher education.
The Secretary of Education manages Virginia’s education policy. He coordinates sixteen colleges and universities, the Virginia Community College System, state education and research centers, the Virginia Department of Education and state-supported museums throughout the Commonwealth.
Ongoing State Initiatives in Education
Early Childhood Education
Under Governor Kaine, the Department of Education has directed several coordinated efforts to establish stronger educational skills at early ages. These include:
The Start Strong Council is charged with expanding access to preschool for Virginia’s 4-year-olds via creative public-private partnerships in communities across the state. They have regularly scheduled meetings and posts reports online to their website.
Smart Beginnings is a partnership effort to enhance opportunities for optimal growth and development from birth to kindergarten. The Smart Beginnings website features a resource center on early childhood research, including presentations given at last summer’s Early Childhood Summit.
Higher Education
Virginia’s Higher Education system consistently performs at the highest international standards. Components of this success include Administrative Autonomy, the leading higher education reform program initiated to-date under Secretary Morris’s term. Through legislation passed in 2005, higher education institutions are now permitted independent decision-making in areas such as capital building projects, procurement and personnel. That autonomy comes with performance objectives and oversight.
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