RICHMOND, Va (WTVR) -- When not watching children's programming with her kids at night, one Richmond mom is keeping a close eye on the battle over sequestration in Washington.
“Education is one of the ones that's going to be hit hard. That's not going to be a good thing. That's not going to be a good thing at all,” says Destiny Lyons.
If lawmakers don't come to an agreement before weeks end, the program, designed to give children in low-income neighborhoods a boost, will see reductions almost instantly.
“Head Start, Early Head Start, they prepare the kids tremendously,” says Lyons.
Other areas of education will see cuts next school year. Virginia will lose up to $14 million in funding for primary and secondary schools, putting 190 teacher and aid jobs at risk. The state would also lose $13.9 million to help children with disabilities, which would eliminate 170 positions.
With these cuts looming, school leaders in Richmond met Monday night to figure out the impact. Board members tell CBS 6’s Lorenzo Hall, they're waiting to see what happens in Washington later this week, before making any major adjustments.
However, in the meantime, they’re prepping for instant cuts to Head Start.
“It shouldn't be cut, it really shouldn’t,’ says Lyons. She tells us, she’s already seen the positive impact on her children, especially her oldest son, and doesn’t want to see thousands of other students miss the same opportunity.
“How he was before. He changed tremendously. He's talking more. He's conversational,” says Lyons.
Other school districts tell CBS 6, they’re waiting to see what happens later this week before making their adjustments.
