RD1 - State Spending on the Standards of Quality (SOQ): FY 2012


Executive Summary:
The State spent about $4.96 billion on the Standards of Quality (SOQ) in FY 2012. This amount equates to about $4,083, on average, for each of the 1.2 million elementary and secondary school students in Virginia. This amount is about a four percent increase compared to FY 2011, and is the first increase in State spending on the SOQ since FY 2009.

The State’s share of the costs of funding the SOQ varies by locality based on the locality’s ability to pay. Localities are responsible for providing the remaining funds, beyond the State share, necessary to sufficiently fund education to meet their required SOQ expenditures.

Fairfax County has by far the most students in the State and received the most total State SOQ funding, about $461 million in FY 2012. Lee County has the lowest local ability to pay in the State and received the most State SOQ funding per student of $6,843. Williamsburg was one of ten localities with the highest local ability to pay and received the lowest amount of $2,090 per student.