Virginia Board of Education Resolution 1996-2
Encouraging Gubernatorial Veto of Budget Provision Regarding Goals 2000 Program
Resolution Number 1996-2
March 28, 1996
WHEREAS, HB 30, the 1996-98 biennial budget for the Commonwealth of Virginia, has been passed by the General Assembly and soon will be presented to the Governor; and
WHEREAS, Item 131 8c as amended instructs the State Superintendent of Public Instruction to apply for “federal funds” on behalf of local school divisions if 85 or more of the local school boards pass resolutions requesting such funds; and
WHEREAS, this language referring to federal funds may be construed to include the federal “Goals 2000” program; and
WHEREAS, the State Board of Education understands that there is much misinformation about the nature of “Goals 2000,” and, specifically there is a mistaken impression that there are few or no “strings” attached to this federal funding program; and
WHEREAS, the State Board of Education has carefully examined the federal law establishing Goals 2000 (Public Law 103-227), which law exceeds 150 pages in length; and
WHEREAS, the State Board of Education recognizes that, despite assurances of flexibility, the U.S. Secretary of Education has no legal authority to waive any requirements imposed by Congress in the Goals 2000 law; and
WHEREAS, the State Superintendent of Public Instruction’s memorandum of March 18, 1996 to Division Superintendents, prepared in consultation with the Office of the Attorney General and based on its legal advice, sets forth some of the specific requirements that local school divisions must meet to qualify for the opportunity to compete for “Goals 2000” funding; and
WHEREAS, the State Board of Education recognizes that education reform in Virginia, including adoption of rigorous academic standards and regular testing based on those standards, is proceeding well without federal assistance or intrusion; and
WHEREAS, acceptance of Goals 2000 funds by Virginia school divisions would pose a significant risk of federal interference and control over education reform in Virginia while providing funding equaling about .1 of 1% of the total amount of funding allocated for K-12 in the1996-98 biennial budget;
BE IT RESOLVED that the State Board of Education urges the Governor to veto the budget provision regarding Goals 2000.
Adopted in the Minutes of the Virginia Board of Education
March 28, 1996