Government Relations

The Constituent Services and Government Relations Office (CSGRO) serves as a guide/facilitator for people who have questions or concerns related to Roanoke City Public Schools and for governmental relations matters that impact public education.

Dr. H. Alan Seibert
Constituent Services & Government Relations Officer
(540) 853-2007 | aseibert@rcps.info

Constituent Services

The Constituent Services and Government Relations Office (CSGRO) works with the School Board, Superintendent, and legislators at the local, state, and national level to advocate and advise on matters that impact students and the school division.

Legislation at the local, state, and national level directly impacts public school systems and our students. The CSGRO works with elected officials to help convey the needs of Roanoke City Pulic Schools students and staff, so, as legislation is drafted, RCPS is a partner in the conversation and can advocate on behalf of our stakeholders. Each year, the School Board works to establish legislative priorities, which are available below.

Roanoke City School Board Legislative Position Papers

The one-page white papers below provide a quick glimpse at select educational priorities, providing a local perspective, allowing you to better understand the impact on your constituents.

2026 Roanoke City School Board Key Legislative Priorities

Roanoke City Public Schools (RCPS) is committed to ensuring every student has access to a high-quality education and the opportunity to thrive. This includes advocating for our students, families, and staff. Each year, the Virginia General Assembly considers numerous bills that directly impact public education.

The Priorities presented here are the Board’s primary areas of legislative focus and advocacy. RCPS also publishes Position Papers that provide local context and recommendations on select topics. RCPS encourages legislators to engage with the School Board or Superintendent when local insight can inform policy decisions.

RCPS also believes the General Assembly should fully fund directives or expectations placed on school divisions.

Local Control

Teaching and learning are inherently complex and deeply rooted in the local context. While public education is a national priority and a state responsibility, it is fundamentally a local function. RCPS urges elected officials to empower local School Boards to innovate and respond to the unique needs of their communities by preserving and strengthening local authority.

School Safety & Security

Commitment to Serving All Students

Governance and Budget

RCPS thanks the General Assembly for eliminating the support staff cap on positions and supports ongoing, thoughtful implementation of findings of the JLARC Report on Virginia’s K-12 Funding Formula, including that the Local Composite Index (LCI), “despite being 50 years old … remains a reasonable measure of local ability to pay.” In 2026, RCPS recommends that the calculation of salary and other cost assumptions use the division average rather than the linear weighted average and adjust the SOQ formula to remove the cap on non-personnel cost assumptions to account for facility staff costs.

Employee Compensation

RCPS appreciates the General Assembly’s efforts to invest in PK-12 employee compensation. However, Virginia’s average teacher salary remains below the national average, and much higher wages in Northern Virginia skew the figures. Teachers in Southwest Virginia earn significantly less, and inflation has outpaced salary increases. Today, RCPS teachers entering the profession have $3,082 less in purchasing power than their counterparts did 15 years ago. We urge continued and targeted investment to address these disparities.

Assessment & Accountability Modernization

RCPS welcomed the two-year flexibility granted by the 2024 General Assembly for “through-year growth assessments,” which increased instructional time and created a window for innovation. However, the state RFP for assessments is still pending; this flexibility expires at the end of SY 25-26 and needs to be extended or made permanent. RCPS staff stand ready to support the modernization of assessments and inform efforts to refine and improve the new School Accountability System, the School Performance and Support Framework (SPSF).