Charlottesville, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) – Delegate Katrina Callsen of Virginia’s 54th District completed her first year in office with recognition as Freshman Delegate of the Year and a notable record of passing multiple bills into law. Reflecting on her accomplishments, she said, “It was a good first session, I feel an immense amount of pressure to recreate that.” As she begins her reelection campaign, Callsen is focused on continuing her work for the district, highlighting her legislative priorities and commitment to creating meaningful change for her constituents.

Callsen’s accomplishments are rooted in her professional background as a former deputy city attorney and middle school math teacher. She highlighted an achievement: a child protection bill that secured over $20 million in funding to keep children out of foster care. “This sets aside money and services… a process where families can access resources before they enter into foster care,” she explained, emphasizing the importance of kinship placements. “Virginia has one of the lowest kinship care placement rates… Placing children with relatives has the best outcomes for them in the long term.”  

As she heads into the upcoming session, Callsen’s priorities remain deeply tied to her professional passions. One of her education-focused bills aims to increase the rigor of middle school math curricula by ensuring qualified students’ complete algebra by 8th grade. “There’s a lot of research to support that… It’s what sets them up for college readiness, it’s what sets them up for STEM-related fields and jobs,” Callsen explained. Her proposal advocates for objective measurements, such as standardized tests, to determine eligibility for advanced math courses, with the goal of expanding access and transparency for students and families. 

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