By Michael Phillips | VABayNews

Virginia has released its first statewide school performance ratings under a new accountability system—and for parents and taxpayers long frustrated by vague or overly rosy assessments, the results mark a significant shift toward transparency.

The School Performance and Support Framework (SPSF), unveiled by the Virginia Department of Education earlier this month, replaces the state’s previous accreditation model. Championed by Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin, the new system aims to give families clearer, more honest information about how schools are actually performing after years of pandemic-related disruption.

According to the data, roughly two-thirds of Virginia’s public schools are meeting or exceeding expectations, while about one-third are flagged as needing improvement or intensive support. About one in four schools statewide earned the top “Distinguished” rating, signaling strong performance across multiple measures.

Ending the “Everyone Passes” Problem

Under the old system, nearly 90% of schools were labeled “fully accredited” in 2022, even as standardized test scores and attendance rates plummeted during COVID-era shutdowns. Youngkin repeatedly criticized that approach as misleading—what he called an “honesty gap” that hid learning loss and delayed intervention.

The new framework keeps accreditation in place but adds performance ratings that go deeper, using multiple indicators instead of a single pass/fail label.

Schools are now grouped into four categories:

• Distinguished
• On Track
• Off Track
• Needs Intensive Support

These ratings are based on a combination of academic mastery, student growth, attendance, graduation rates, and postsecondary readiness, including career and technical education, early college credits, or military enlistment pathways.

Signs of Recovery—With Challenges Still Visible

State education officials report measurable gains in literacy, math proficiency, graduation rates, and attendance compared to the immediate post-pandemic years. Middle schools showed particularly strong performance, while high schools benefited from Virginia’s expanded “3E” readiness model—Education, Employment, or Enlistment.

Regions like Northern Virginia and Southwest Virginia posted some of the highest shares of top-rated schools, countering the narrative that success is limited to wealthy suburban districts.

At the same time, the data does not shy away from hard truths. Persistent disparities remain, especially in higher-poverty and urban areas. Rather than masking those gaps, the new system makes them visible—allowing targeted support instead of blanket praise.

Accountability Without Automatic Punishment

Critics, including some school leaders in Northern Virginia, argue the labels could stigmatize schools serving high-needs populations. But supporters note that “Off Track” and “Needs Intensive Support” do not mean loss of local control. Instead, they trigger state grants, structured improvement plans, and technical assistance, not takeovers.

The goal, according to VDOE, is to identify what’s working, replicate success, and intervene early, rather than waiting years while students fall further behind.

From a center-right perspective, this approach reflects a core principle: ignoring poor outcomes doesn’t help vulnerable students—honest data does.

Why This Matters to Families and Taxpayers

For parents, the new ratings provide clearer, more practical information when evaluating schools. For lawmakers and taxpayers, they offer a way to measure whether billions in education spending—particularly post-pandemic recovery funds—are producing results.

And for educators, the framework highlights high-performing schools that can serve as models, proving that strong outcomes are possible across different regions and demographics.

The Bottom Line

Virginia’s new school performance ratings won’t solve every challenge overnight. But they do represent a meaningful shift away from feel-good reporting and toward truthful accountability paired with targeted support.

As debates continue over equity, funding, and standards, one point is hard to dispute: students are better served by honesty than by inflated ratings.

Parents and community members can review detailed, school-by-school data at the Virginia Department of Education’s School Quality Profiles website.

For Virginia families, the message is clear—what gets measured honestly is far more likely to improve.