FACT: Spending is actually on the decline.
State funding for schools has decreased 5.5% since 2009. While local funding has increased in that time period, those increases have gone to adjust inflation, address rising healthcare costs and tackle mandated increases to the Virginia Retirement System (VRS) as well as to support academic programs and employee compensation. Through the strategic use of funds and years of difficult decisions (including increasing class sizes and implementing hiring freezes), the division has continued to make the most of limited funds.