HENRICO COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) — As Henrico School and county leaders work to bring more money to schools, East End Henrico community members are calling on leaders to address what they say is a deep rooted disparity between the East End and the West End.
8News spoke with Henrico County parent and former teacher Dr. Kandise Lucas. After spending years on the East End, she said she knows the difference that resources can make for students in the classroom.
“We have sounded the alarm as way back as 2007 that the needs of the diverse population are not being assessed,” Lucas said. “We constantly have to battle to receive equal access to advanced educational opportunities that are freely given to other populations. So, this is a deep-seated, disparity and is at the core of the foundation of Henrico County public schools.”
According to SOL scores from the Virginia Department of Education, East End students received a less than 50% pass rate compared to West End students who received rates higher than 70%. While the scores alone are just a snapshot in time, they help provide context to the matter.
“The buildings tell the story as well. If you look at Deep Run, it looks like a college campus. You know, and while they’re making improvements on the East, then the West End is definitely more advanced as far as their facilities are concerned, as well as the opportunities. And it’s not that our East End children are not intelligent…they are brilliant, just like the West End children are. It’s just a matter of opportunity,” Lucas said.
8News also spoke with Monica Hutchinson, President of the Henrico Chapter of the NAACP, who shared similar concerns.
“This disparity is not new and just throwing money at the issue will not solve the problem. We have discussed the issue many times over. It’s now time for us to discuss solutions and Henrico Schools must ensure that all students including students who are in special education are at the table when discussing education,” Hutchinson said.
Hutchinson went on to say that the disparity gap is not a poor reflection on Henrico students, but rather, a poor reflection on the system and the adults.
“[It’s] time for us to all come together and really re-imagine what education should look like here in Henrico County, because what we are doing now isn’t working,” Hutchinson said.
In recent weeks, Henrico Schools has worked to implement a budget costing over $677 million, which would bring reading specialists, teachers for English learners and school counselors to the district.
A spokesperson for Henrico Schools said the budget would also include positions for the new Center for Innovation at Rolfe Middle School, which is a first-of-its-kind program in the county.
“Finally, [the budget] designates Highland Springs Elementary School as an additional HCPS Opportunity School, which ensures that licensed staff earn an additional $3,000 annual stipend, and that the school receives additional staffing resources and specialized professional learning tailored to their needs,” the spokesperson for Henrico Schools said.
Board Chair Alicia Atkins told 8News she is proud of the work principals, teachers and staff have done to meet the needs of all their students.
“The budget that the School Board has proposed for 2024-25 directly responds to and addresses the areas of greatest need throughout the county,” Atkins said.
However, Hutchinson and Lucas agree that money alone will not solve the problem.
“Throwing more money at it is not the answer. That is definitely not the answer. That’s what like I told you, that’s like giving an addict money and expecting them to pay their rent. It’s not going to happen,” Lucas said. “Money is not the answer. We need innovation. We need people that are not stuck in the school. Well, in the G.E.D.”
The Board of Supervisors is set to vote on the school budget in the coming weeks.
