Gov. Glenn Youngkin on Thursday announced a new tutoring initiative aimed at helping Virginia’s children recover from what he called “catastrophic” learning loss.
Students from four of Virginia’s historically Black colleges and universities, in partnership with the Urban Leagues of Hampton Roads and Greater Richmond, will provide tutoring services to Virginia’s K-12 students.
The initiative will support up to 1,300 students between Petersburg, Portsmouth and Hampton, Youngkin said, with the support of 175 college students.
He said he hopes other school divisions will follow suit.
“This is just the beginning,” Youngkin said Thursday at a news conference in Norfolk. “We are going to inspire others to replicate, expand and touch lives across the entire commonwealth.”
Youngkin was joined by leaders of the four involved HBCUs: Norfolk State University, Hampton University, Virginia State University and Virginia Union University.
Tamara Sterling, superintendent-appointee of Petersburg City Public Schools, said the tutoring initiative will make a significant impact on the city’s students.
“There was a sense of urgency from the governor’s office,” Sterling said. “We are fortunate to have a governor and secretary of education that have made a priority to not only excel our children forward but to provide them with the necessary supports to be successful.”
Youngkin echoed his comments from last week about the dismal outcome for Virginia learners on the National Assessment of Educational Progress, also known as “The Nation’s Report Card.”
Virginia’s Black and Hispanic students faced some of the sharpest declines in academic performance over the course of the pandemic.
“This is our moment to put down our differences. This is our moment to come together. This is our moment to come around this initiative as the shining light that will mark the beginning of something extraordinary,” Youngkin said.
“It’s not government doing this. It’s people standing up, locking arms together.”
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