It has been eight years since Jason Kamras took the job of superintendent for Richmond Public Schools, but he has no plans of leaving anytime soon. And the former math teacher says he is encouraged by the numbers he is seeing.

"Last year seniors hit an 80% graduation rate, which is the highest in about a decade," said Kamras. "And our black students and economically disadvantaged students hit the highest rates in 20 years. We've also seen back to back years in growth in our SOL scores, math, reading, science, history."

Kamras sat down with Catie Beck on the most recent episode of 'Untold - A WTVR Podcast.' They discussed numerous topics, including the RPS budget situation, and the cuts that Kamras recently proposed.

"Let me be clear: I don't want to make those cuts, I don't want to make those reductions, but I felt it was important to give the school board a road map for what seemed likely at the time to be the situation," said Kamras. "Since then, it looks a little bit better for us. There are bills going through the General Assembly that might give us a lot more money."

Kamras also talked about the challenges he faces in running the historically troubled school system, including the poverty, hunger, and community violence that many of his students have to live in and around.

"I've been to a lot of funerals of kids, you know, over 50 kids have died from gun violence since I've been superintendent RPS students," said Kamras. "And probably two, three times that number have been shot, and that fortunately, it has been, knock on wood, a little bit better this year, but still, that's just horrific."

As far as what the future holds, Kamras says he remains focused on the task at hand.

"I'm open to any opportunity that can help continue to broaden the impact for kids, but at least for the next few years, I know I'm here, and I'm committed," said Kamras. "And I think we're just on the beginning of the upswing, and I want to make sure that we keep pushing forward so have no plans of going anywhere anytime soon.

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