Delivering on Virginia’s Commitment to High Expectations for Every Student

2024-2025 School Performance and Support Framework & Accreditation Results Recap 

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The next generation of accountability focused on every student

The Virginia Board of Education has redesigned and simplified the state’s accountability framework with extensive input from parents, educators, industry partners, and higher education leaders across the Commonwealth. The result is the School Performance and Support Framework (SPSF). The School Performance and Support Framework provides a clear way to understand how well schools are supporting student learning, academic growth, and readiness for life after high school. This approach shifts accountability toward actionable support – making strengths more visible, identifying where student and schools need help, and spotlighting successful practices that can be replicated statewide.  

Implementation Timeline

Work on the new School Performance and Support Framework began four years ago, grounded in national research and shaped by consistent Board direction and stakeholder input.

Today’s Milestone

Today marks the first annual release of the School Performance and Support Framework results – providing a clear, unified picture of how well schools are fulfilling their responsibility to ensure students:

• Learn grade-level content
• Grow academically year-over-year
• Graduate prepared for life after high school

What the New System Measures

• The North Star, or guiding principle of the redesign, is high expectations for every student. Performance reporting reinforces that proficiency and readiness are the ultimate goals for all learners.   
  
  The School Performance and Support Framework (SPSF) evaluates schools across four key pillars, tailored to elementary, middle, and high school priorities:
  

  Pillar	What it Measures
  Mastery	How well students demonstrate understanding of reading, math, and science on Virginia’s Standards of Learning (SOL) and Virginia Alternate Assessment Program (VAAP) assessments.
  Growth	Student progress in reading and math by comparing current performance to prior years.
  Readiness	In K-8 schools, readiness points are earned by reducing chronic absenteeism. In Middle School, this also includes advanced coursework such as earning high school credit early. In High School, it is based on student demonstration of readiness for Employment, post-secondary Education and military Enrollment (3E Readiness Framework).
  Graduation	The graduation rate in high schools for students who earn a standard or advanced diploma.

Clear, Meaningful Performance Categories

• Distinguished: Exceeds expectations
• On Track: Meets expectations 
• Off Track: Does not meet expectations and receives extra state support 
• Needs Intensive Support: Significantly below expectations and receives the strongest support from the state

These categories recognize excellence while clearly signaling where help is needed to improve outcomes.

Transparent Information Families Can Use

The School Performance and Support Framework builds trust by offering actionable, easy-to-understand information about school performance and student success. This data is available directly to parents – ensuring they can see how their school is doing and what supports are in place to help students thrive.

How Are Virginia’s Schools Doing?

There is excellence, and we know there can be more.

• Every Superintendent Region has Distinguished schools, which means there are pockets of excellence and exemplars to learn from in every region across the Commonwealth.

Celebrating Excellence and Inspiring Collaboration 

Top performers in each of the performance categories, including our Distinguished Schools can be found in our Regional Snapshots designed to encourage actionable collaboration between all Virginia educators while celebrating excellence. 

Download a PDF to learn more about our regional successes.

• Superintendent Region 4 and Superintendent Region 7 had the highest percent of Distinguished schools. 31% of schools (173 schools) in Superintendent Region 4 (Northern Virginia) and 28% of schools (43 schools) in Region 7 (Southwest) were identified as Distinguished.
  
  
• Two-thirds of Virginia’s public schools are identified as Distinguished or On Track. Schools across the Commonwealth are exceeding or meeting state expectations to ensure students are prepared for the next grade level, course, or ready for life.
  • It is not uncommon to be Distinguished - 1 in 4 public schools across the Commonwealth are exceeding expectations with their students.
    

    Superintendent Region	Distinguished	On Track
    1	19%	36%
    2	17%	47%
    3	14%	46%
    4	31%	40%
    5	17%	39%
    6	26%	45%
    7	28%	50%
    8	22%	44%

Delivering on the promise of every student graduating ready for life

We know students can be successful in different ways. The School Performance and Support Framework focuses on building schools to prepare students for what’s next.

• High Schools are exceeding expectations as Distinguished schools. 65% of high schools are exceeding state expectations. School divisions have embraced the 3E Framework and are providing students with critical experiences and courses to improve preparedness.
  • This is largely attributable to efforts to update high school to provide students with critical experiences and courses that improve preparedness for work, college, technical training or military service. The new 3E Readiness Framework defines and recognizes options for earning credits and credentials and expands rigorous pathways to enrollment, employment, and enlistment.
    
    
• Middle Schools had the highest percentage of On Track schools. Improved performance in advanced coursework, a decline in absenteeism, and strong reading outcomes contributed to 59% of middle schools being On Track as they adapt to new learning standards and supports.
  
  
• Four-year graduation rates remain steady. 89.5% of high school students graduated in four years, consistent with rates reported in 2023 (88.8%) and 2024 (89.8%).
  • Superintendent Region 7 (Southwest) has the highest 4-year graduation rate.
  • Superintendent Region 4 (Northern Virginia) has the highest percent of students graduating with an Advanced Diploma.
    

Every student matters

There is nothing more important

To ensure every classroom and student is accounted for, the student group size for identification in the School Performance and Support Framework was lowered from 30 students in the prior system to 15 students. This ensures small groups of students are accounted for in this new schoolwide and statewide system of accountability, recognition, and support. When more schools and individual students are included, we increase transparency and can deliver targeted supports.

The students of 2025 face real challenges. Learning to read, being proficient or better at math, and preparing for life after high school are more important than ever. To respond, we need to equip parents, educators, community members, and system leaders with a clear picture of a school’s ability to prepare each child, advance their achievement and academic growth, and, ultimately, to graduate them ready for life after high school. The School Performance and Support Framework provides transparency and incentivizes support for each and every student.

Attendance

We know students do better when they are in school, when they are connected to adults and community, and the resources they need to learn. Together, Virginia has become a nation-leading state for reducing chronic absenteeism by addressing the root causes for every student. The School Performance and Support Framework’s design takes the same approach to understanding individual and school-wide learning needs and successes.
This system is focused on how every student is growing, learning, and aligning resources to meet their needs.

• The School Performance and Support Framework focuses on those students who need the most support: Policymakers have been clear that students who need it most are the priority for resources. The School Performance and Support Framework enables this focus by putting a spotlight on where additional support is needed based on the academic outcomes of specific student groups, including students with disabilities.

Virginia is focused on making sure students who need it most are the priority for resources. Whether that is students with disabilities, English learners, or economically disadvantaged students, or any child struggling to learn to read as they progress through each grade, this framework enables this focus by putting a spotlight on where additional support is needed by student group, by school, and by division.

For example, we now show learning progress with English Learners after 1.5 years or 3 semesters in a Virginia public school, rather than 5.5 years or 11 semesters. Not only does this contribute to aligning state and federal accountability, it helps us see more than 35,000 English Learner students who were excluded in the prior system of accountability.

Virginia’s accountability system encourages continuous improvement by helping schools personalize learning for individual students and student groups. This ensures that every student’s progress is visible and that schools receive the right kind of support to meet the needs of every learner. Developed with input from educators, families, and community leaders across the Commonwealth, the School Performance and Support Framework reflects Virginia’s shared vision for student success and readiness after graduation.

• More than half of Elementary Schools demonstrated significant student growth in reading and mathematics.

• Schools and educators have made the most of innovative investments like ALL In VA and the Virginia Literacy Act to strengthen educator practices, implement high-quality materials, and address the unique learning needs of each student with a focus on those students who need the most support.
• This progress is what needs to continue for students to succeed and schools making progress should continue to be the priority for resources. If we can get students to read and do math on grade level, this changes everything for their future.

• In total, 612 public schools out of 1,819 total schools were identified as Off Track or Needs Intensive Support, representing roughly one third of all public schools in need of targeted support:
  • 467 total elementary schools are identified as Off Track or Needs Intensive Support or approximately 41% of all Elementary Schools (1,141). 
    • This means doubling down on the Virginia Literacy Act, remaining diligent on combatting chronic absenteeism, and supporting divisions with High-Quality Instructional Materials in every classroom.
    • The School Performance and Support Framework inaugural results reinforce the importance of intervening early.  Virginia’s littlest learners are the priority, and this system prioritizes elementary classrooms for support. 
  • One third of Middle Schools (101 of 313 total) are either Off Track or Needs Intensive Support. 
    • This is a top priority for the agency for staffing, new resources, and targeted coaching as well as principal mentorship.
  • High Schools had the fewest Off Track and Needs Intensive Support schools, with only 9% (25) of all high school models needing support.

• School Performance and Support Framework Results from School Year 2024-2025

The state and federal accountability system are aligned

Before, a confusing mix of state and federal accountability requirements diluted clarity on school performance and distribution of resources. The new system is a one-tiered system of support, with a focus on evidence-based practices and resources to address specific areas of need.

• Elementary schools had the highest number of federally identified schools and will be prioritized for the most technical coaching, resources, and support.
  
  

  School Type	Comprehensive Support and Improvement	Targeted Support and Improvement	Additional Targeted Support and Improvement
  Elementary	49	319	0
  Middle	14	14	8
  High	8	0	0
  Elementary-Middle	5	7	0
  Middle-High	2	4	0
  Elementary-Middle-High	2	2	0
  Total	80	346	8

• By seeing every student, the federal identification system for support now includes for consideration in the process an additional  448 schools (10,028 students) for students with disabilities, 266 schools (5,607 students) for English Learners, and 134 schools (2,982) for economically disadvantaged students.
  
  
• Superintendent Region 1 had the highest percent of federally identified schools.
  

  Region	Comprehensive Support and Improvement	Targeted Support and Improvement	Additional Targeted Support and Improvement
  Region	Comprehensive Support and Improvement	Targeted Support and Improvement	Additional Targeted Support and Improvement
  1	35 (14%)	49 (20%)	2 (1%)
  2	19 (6%)	69 (20%)	1 (0.3%)
  3	1 (1%)	31 (28%)	0
  4	9 (2%)	109 (20%)	1 (0.2%)
  5	7 (4%)	41 (22%)	3 (2%)
  6	6 (4%)	24 (15%)	1 (1%)
  7	1 (1%)	13 (8%)	0
  8	2 (4%)	10 (19%)	0

A school may be federally identified for school improvement based on the school or student group performance. The three federal designations are:

• Comprehensive Support and Improvement: Schools identified every 3 years as the lowest performing 5% of Title I schools; schools with a federal graduation indicator below 67%; or additional targeted support and improvement Title I schools that have not exited after three years.
  • Title I schools serve a high percentage of students from low-income families.
  • The School Performance and Support Framework helps Virginia policymakers see which students and schools with a high concentration of poverty that are needing comprehensive support and improvement – meaning resources are targeted where they are needed most.
• Targeted Support and Improvement: Schools identified annually that have one or more student groups not meeting a threshold in the overall framework and academic achievement indicators for that student group.
• Additional Targeted Support and Improvement: Schools identified every 3 years from among schools identified as targeted support and improvement in the prior year that continue to have one or more student groups not meeting a threshold in the overall framework and academic achievement indicators for that student group.

This is now a system that is fundamentally focused on those furthest from opportunity and makes it very clear on where those resources should go. 

A modernized organization and expanded supports for sustainable student success

The Department has launched a bold, research-based redesign, including how school improvement is supported across the Commonwealth. To inform this approach, the Department conducted a comprehensive review of high-performing state education agencies across the nation. The analysis identified key practices associated with improved student outcomes. Drawing on these insights, the Department is focusing on the following critical elements:

The Department has been implementing this summer and fall on a strategic realignment of offices, roles, and responsibilities to improve coherence, collaboration, and operational efficiency. These structural adjustments are designed to streamline communication and increase collaboration to ensure that schools and divisions experience a coordinated and responsive system of support from the Department.  

There is no longer a single office with a dozen staff members responsible for supporting the needs of nearly 2,000 schools. Student success is the work of the entire agency. The new organization structure enables leadership to leverage all the subject matter experts to be in the field and better support schools to improve.

In addition to identifying, elevating, and retaining exemplar staff within the agency and recruiting top national talent, the Department has never been more poised to have the right subject matter expertise to meet the needs of students of 2025. To illustrate:

• We have streamlined all core functions around teaching, learning, and leadership into a single branch of Academics and Innovation
  • The Division of Student Outcomes and School Quality connects assessment data, accountability measures, educator preparation, instruction, best practices, and school improvement to provide a comprehensive system of support to all school divisions.
  • The Division of Innovation, Student Pathways, and Opportunities is new and built off of numerous requests from employers, military leaders, higher education institutions, school board members, superintendents, and principals on having a one-stop hub for readiness support from elementary through high school advanced coursework, flexible and innovative student-centered public models, and high-quality 3E Readiness opportunities.
• The new branch of Operations serves as a one-stop hub for all external and internal operational needs. These teams shifted from compliance-centered approaches to solutions and innovation that help school divisions think outside the box. They are working to develop new methods to transport students and reduce access barriers to attendance. They are advancing strategies that aim to further improve student attendance and are continuing to launch school facilities grant opportunities to support divisions with individual and regional CTE programs. They also are exploring ways to rethink and redesign school spaces to better facilitate student learning and competency-based models.
• The new branch of Early Learning and Specialized Populations supports the unique learning and care needs of children, students and learners in diverse settings – focused on preparing all of them to fulfill their potential and achieve success. To better serve our highest need students, special education and specialized populations such as adult learners, were also added to this branch.

The full organization restructure will be presented in more details at the January 8 Board of Education meeting.

The modernized structure prioritizes collaboration with team members to work across branches, divisions, and offices within the agency to analyze data and align supports strategically. 

Realigning grants to maximize every dollar for students and effective practices

One-size-fits-all grants and solutions do not work for school systems or students. In this new era, the agency is targeting funds for proven practices and what works for students to achieve. In addition to seeking federal flexibility and coaching divisions on how to blend funding streams to maximize dollars for students, the Virginia Department of Education has re-launched all state and federal competitive grants to prioritize schools in need of support.

Leadership is empowering school and division leaders with more autonomy and flexibility to maximize every dollar for students, while requiring clear demonstration of returns on investments that directly lead to improved student outcomes. Resources are being directed toward the implementation of evidence-based practices:

• $31 million in federal and state funds available to support schools that need the most improvement. All school divisions will be provided support from the Department. Increased support will be provided to federally identified and Needs Intensive Support schools.
  • More than $13 million in School Improvement Grant funds and $10 million in Direct Student Services Grant funds will be available to advance local improvement efforts in divisions with federally identified schools.
  • Over $7 million in Comprehensive Literacy State Development funds are prioritized for comprehensive support and improvement and additional targeted support and improvement schools.
  • $10 million in Math Innovation Grant funds are prioritized for federally identified schools and Needs Intensive Support schools.
  • In addition to statewide professional learning, $1 million in state funds will support teachers and leaders in divisions with the greatest needs through Principal Leadership and Teachers in Action Networks.

The School Performance and Support Framework and aligned federal system is intentionally set up so every student matters and makes it clear where Virginia’s resources must be prioritized.

School improvement is the responsibility of the entire Department. By engaging subject-matter experts from across offices, the Department expands its capacity to deliver high-quality support statewide and increases the depth of expertise available to schools and divisions. This cross-department approach ensures that every school and division benefits from a research-grounded, data-informed, and coordinated system of support.

A new system with improved data check systems for integrity

The Virginia Department of Education is dedicated to implementing effective, transparent practices that uphold the highest standards of data integrity and quality. Our comprehensive framework ensures that every student is accurately represented in the system, with a strong focus on their academic achievement and growth.

In developing this framework, we consulted national experts, studied best practices from other states, and actively engaged with educators and stakeholders across the Commonwealth. Throughout this process, we collected and validated data with the support of an independent third party, ensuring accuracy and reliability to provide the field with time to review the information before the public release.

This reflects a thoughtful and thorough effort to enhance data collection, review, and validation processes to ensure accuracy and alignment with best practices.

1. Multiple rounds of data checks and feedback opportunities were provided at the local level
   • August 18, 2025 – Statewide assessment results released to school divisions for review prior to public release.
   • August 22, 2025 – 3E Readiness Framework report shared with school divisions for review.
   • September 26, 2025 – Student Roster Reports and Indicator Reports provided to school divisions for review.
   • October 31, 2025 – Secure data transfer was initiated to the Virginia Modeling, Analysis & Simulation Center at Old Dominion University to begin validating accountability outcomes produced by the Department using the School Performance and Support Framework.
   • November 6, 2025 – Deadline for school divisions to submit final data revisions to the Department. From August 22 to November 6, school divisions had the opportunity to review the data provided and submit any necessary corrections. Any revisions to data were shared with Old Dominion University.
     
     
2. Utilized External Validation for Data and Results

   In alignment with best data governance practices, the Department executed a third-party, Old Dominion University’s Virginia Modeling, Analysis & Simulation Center, to independently validate School Performance and Support Framework accountability data and outcomes for each school and division, including federal identification statuses. This added step promotes transparency and reinforces confidence and trust in the final framework outcomes. 

3. Shared Final Proposed Outcomes with Divisions for Final Stress Test on System Local superintendents received their Division and School Summary Reports, along with resources to support communication of outcomes to stakeholders in their community and guidance on next steps for MOU divisions and federally identified schools one week ahead of the public launch. Division teams have had multiple opportunities to analyze and correct submitted data.

Like any successful organization, we know there are always ways to refine and improve. Here’s what’s currently underway:

• Continue communication on Data Collection process through Tuesday Telegram newsletter.
• Refine business rules and apply lessons learned to enhance the data collection, cleaning, validation, analysis, and reporting process.
• Update the technical guide and facilitate training in preparation for the next data collection cycle.
• Provide training and technical support to school divisions to accurately code and securely share data.
• Provide professional learning experiences on making actionable to improve student outcomes. 

• Road to Readiness School Performance and Support Framework Resource Hub
• School Performance and Support Framework Overview
• School Performance and Support Framework Engagement & Timeline
• School Quality Profiles

In addition to the School Performance and Support Accountability System changes, the accreditation system was also revised to now offer a clearer picture of how schools are performing to meet the state’s foundational standards to operate. School accreditation, under 8VAC20-132, focuses on compliance with curriculum and graduation standards, instructional programs, staffing and leadership, facilities and safety, and long-range planning and improvement. Schools can receive the follow accreditation designations:

• Fully Accredited: Schools that have submitted all required evidence to the Virginia Department of Education as prescribed in the Standards of Accreditation and all evidence is satisfactory and approved for compliance.
• Conditionally Accredited: Schools that submit unsatisfactory or noncompliant evidence for any standard of accreditation. Schools remain conditionally accredited until submission of additional evidence that demonstrates compliance with requirements.
• Accreditation Denied: Schools that fail to adopt or fully implement required corrective actions to address evidence of non-compliance.
• New School: Awarded for a one-year period to a new school that comprises students who previously attended one or more existing schools.

Most schools are fully accredited – 94% of schools met all requirements prescribed in the Standards of Accreditation as currently adopted in regulations and the Code.

• 113 schools are conditionally accredited with minor deficiencies or insufficient progress pending plan completion.
• 6 schools are designated a “New School” status for a one-year period for new schools of students who previously attended one or more existing schools.
• In November 2025, the Board of Education recommended as part of its 2025 Standards of Quality Prescriptions, to add school division accreditation to enhance oversight on finances and operations along with addressing regulations. The Board will discuss Accreditation more on Wednesday, December 10 at its Work Session. Tune in here.