Editor, Gazette-Journal:

What has Delegate Keith Hodges done and what will he do to restore Commonwealth funding to our public schools?

The Richmond Times-Dispatch, Washington Post and The Commonwealth Institute state that the Commonwealth is underfunding Virginia education by $800,000,000.

The Virginia Constitution says, “The General Assembly shall provide for a system of free public elementary and secondary schools for all children of school age throughout the Commonwealth, and shall seek to ensure that an educational program of high quality is established and continually maintained.”

At the time, Standards of Quality were established, as constitutionally designated, minimum annual investment by the state in a student’s K-12 education.

Then came the economic downturn in 2008-2009. “Cuts were made … by lawmakers to Virginia’s education funding … Many of the changes undo parts of the SOQ formula that reflected the actual costs schools fa...