RICHMOND, Va. – Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin announced an additional $290 million to support school construction and modernization efforts across the Commonwealth, bringing the total investment amount in the current biennium to $700 million.

We’ve told you about similar investments in schools here in Hampton Roads, including Maury High School – one of the oldest schools in Norfolk. Youngkin says he plans to use these funds to expand funding opportunities for school divisions in high-need areas.

Watch: Here are the proposed plans for the new and old Maury High School in Norfolk

Here are the proposed plans for the new and old Maury High School in Norfolk

Data released by the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) in 2022 showed that nearly 1,000 schools across the state are at least 50 years old. The governor says the money will be used to address critical infrastructure issues, construction and schools in desperate need of repair.

It’s currently unclear which schools could benefit from this grant, but it will also go to K-12 schools to provide more learning spaces – a request that educators said Youngkin was made aware of.

According to the governor’s office, the state’s investments in school construction projects generated about $3.4 billion. This includes money from local governments and federal equalization funds.

This grant follows another investment Youngkin announced last week: He said the state would invest $50 million in K-12 schools to “accelerate school success.” Although completely different from his construction and modernization efforts, he hopes this grant will reduce disparities, especially in underserved areas.