Gov. Glenn Youngkin emphasized on Thursday that the $50 million proposal would come from the state’s general fund, not from existing education funding.
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Gov. Glenn Youngkin touted his private school voucher proposal on Thursday, pushing back on Democrats’ claims that it would take money away from public schools. Meanwhile, the Senate majority leader, a lawyer, says the governor’s proposal is unconstitutional.
Youngkin in December proposed a private school voucher program that would give $5,000 grants to 10,000 students whose families earn less than 200% of the federal poverty limit, or $62,400 for a family of four. The legislation says families could spend the money on private school tuition or other costs associated with attending accredited private schools in Virginia.
Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell, D-Fairfax, says the proposal is unconstitutional. He points to the section of the Constitution of Virginia that states: “No appropriation of public funds shall be made to any school or institution of learning not owned or exclusively controlled by the State or some political subdivision thereof.”
