Dating back to his tenure as Mayor of Richmond when he built four new schools, Tim has spent decades working to strengthen Virginia’s public education system and securing smart investments in education. Tim and his wife Anne sent their three kids to Richmond public schools, so they know firsthand the concerns parents have about their children’s education and the power that good teachers have to change kids’ lives for the better.
Throughout his career, Tim has been a leader in boosting career and technical education programs that teach students the skills to succeed in high-demand, good-paying jobs. As Governor, Kaine helped Carillion Health and Virginia Tech begin a medical school and research campus in Roanoke, ushering in a new chapter of innovation and jobs in the Star City. He has also played a key role in passing bipartisan legislation like the Every Student Succeeds Act to decrease the emphasis on standardized testing and give states more flexibility and is pushing for reforms like his JOBS Act, which would boost career and technical education by expanding Pell Grant eligibility for job training programs. He also passed into law several of his provisions in the Perkins Career and Technical Education Improvement Act, including raising the quality of CTE programs, connecting more middle schoolers with CTE, and encouraging high schools to provide coursework more relevant to the modern workforce and career prep needs.