York County parents protest online classes by refusing to turn in aid forms

https://apnews.com/d6379ce7ee8985a484792b3c5c4a80e5

YORKTOWN, Va. (AP) — A small group of parents is saying they won’t return federal aid forms to school districts in Virginia, jeopardizing the funds the schools will receive next school year as a protest against virtual classes.

It’s not clear why the families think refusing to return the federal impact aid forms will change the school’s decision to have online classes, which are a result of rising coronavirus cases. But Joanna Moran, a former Virginia Beach School Board candidate, called on families last month to not return the cards until schools resume in-person learning.

The division had anticipated receiving more than $8 million for the next school year from the aid program, which distributes funds from the U.S. Department of Education to localities that have federal property.

Lands that are owned by the federal government are exempt for local property taxes, which affects the budgets of school districts. The federal aid makes up for lost revenue. Virginia Beach and York County school districts are the biggest receipts of the funds in the state, according to the National Association of Federally Impacted Schools.