ROANOKE, Va. (WDBJ) – Governor Spanberger signed a plethora of bills into law ahead of her April 13 deadline. Several are focused on education, in an effort to make Virginia schools safer. One of them focuses on reducing youth violence by expanding the Community Builders Program established in Roanoke City Public Schools.
This program not only helps keep schools safe, but the entire community as a whole. The program began as a sort of a trial run to help stop gang and gun violence in the community. In 2024, Delegate Sam Rasoul introduced legislation that created Community Builders as a pilot program in Roanoke City Public Schools that would be funded for two years. After two successful years, Del. Rasoul introduced new legislation that not only permanently funds the program but expands it across the commonwealth, making RCPS the demonstration.
“The goal is reducing chronic truancy, reducing failing grades, reducing discipline, reducing gun violence, and we do that really by building the relationships,” said Joshua Johnson…