RICHMOND, Va. — Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin announced an additional $290 million to support school construction and modernization efforts across the commonwealth, bringing the total amount invested during the current biennium to $700 million.
We've told you about similar investments being made to schools right here in Hampton Roads, one of them being Maury High School—one of the oldest schools in Norfolk. Youngkin says he plans to use these funds to expand grant opportunities for school divisions in high-need areas.
Watch: Here are the proposed plans for the new & old Maury High School in Norfolk
Data released by the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) in 2022 revealed that nearly 1,000 schools across the state are at least 50 years old. The governor says the money will address critical infrastructure issues, construction and schools in urgent need of repair.
As of now, it's unclear which schools could benefit from this grant, but it will go towards K-12 schools also to provide more learning spaces—a request Youngkin says educators brought to his attention.
According to the governor’s office, the state’s investments towards school construction projects have been leveraged to generate roughly $3.4 billion. That includes money from local governments and federal matching funds.
This grant comes on the heels of another investment Youngkin announced last week: He said the state will invest $50 million in K-12 schools to "accelerate school success." Although that grant is completely different from his construction and modernization efforts, he hopes this grant will reduce disparities, especially in underserved areas.
