Virginia is strengthening its education system by aligning three critical levers of change (1) the accountability model, (2) the school improvement strategy, and (3) the organization of the Virginia Department of Education (the Department). These efforts are designed to function as a single coherent system to improve student outcomes across the Commonwealth.

In August 2024, the Virginia Board of Education approved the new School Performance and Support Framework (refer to Appendix A) after over of year of extensive input from parents, educators, industry partners, and higher education leaders across the Commonwealth. The following principles guided the development of the framework:

1. The North Star is high expectations for every student. Proficiency definitions will be set by benchmarking against the demands of Virginia employers and higher education as well as against states who have the most rigorous definitions of proficiency in the nation.

2. Transparency and access to actionable information will be a hallmark of our approach and our new system.

3. Student academic growth and proficiency are both vital measures, but the system must prioritize getting every student to proficiency/mastery.

4. The purpose of accountability is to build trust between schools, parents, and students through transparent, concrete, and easy to understand reporting. We must provide necessary supports and work alongside schools in need of help.

5. Stakeholder input is critical. Teachers, parents, students, and education leaders will inform the Board’s process to build a best-in-class accreditation and accountability system.

In December 2025, the first annual release of the School Performance and Support Framework results were shared, 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

In 2025, the Department launched a bold, research-based redesign of how school improvement is supported across the Commonwealth. This new approach represents a strategic shift to use outcomes and data from the School Performance and Support Framework to inform customized support to schools and divisions to measurably improve student outcomes at scale.

The redesigned school improvement model is anchored in a clear theory of action: when high-quality quantitative and qualitative data are used to understand strengths and challenges in student learning, the Department can align targeted, evidence-based supports that improve student outcomes. Foundational to this work is the Commonwealth’s redesigned accountability framework, which provides more accurate and actionable data by counting every student and highlighting student performance across key dimensions of learning and readiness.

Developed with extensive input from parents, educators, industry partners, and higher education leaders across Virginia, the new School Performance and Support Framework offers a transparent and comprehensive view of how well schools are supporting student learning, academic growth, and readiness for life after high school. Importantly, this framework reframes accountability as a lever for improvement, making strengths visible, identifying where support is needed, and highlighting effective practices that can be scaled statewide.

To further strengthen the school improvement strategy, 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:

Organizational Structure

The Department has implemented an internal restructure to modernize the agency for today’s students. New roles and support divisions were added to pivot towards solutions for student and school needs. New offices, roles, and responsibilities improve coherence, collaboration, and operational efficiency. These structural adjustments streamline communication and increase collaboration to ensure that schools and divisions experience a coordinated and responsive system of support from the Department. Appendix B shares a snapshot of how the internal restructure supports cross-departmental school improvement efforts grounded in the School Performance and Support Framework.

Funding Priorities

Prioritizing resources for schools and students with the greatest remains a priority for the Department. The School Performance and Support Framework strengthens this focus by providing clear, actionable, and transparent data at the school and student level, enabling more informed and strategic resource allocation. Resources are more effectively targeted and customized to support students and to scale practices proven to deliver results. Leadership is also 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. For school identified for Comprehensive Support and Improvement, multi-year grant funding will be available to support system-change and prioritization to lead to long-term improvements in student outcomes.

Effective School Improvement Practices

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.

Strong accountability and governance are central to the effectiveness of the Department’s revised school improvement model. The Virginia Board of Education now includes a standing agenda item at every Board of Education meeting to review strategy implementation and school improvement actions taken each month. This structure increases Department accountability for improving school performance and enables more consistent and informed Board oversight of school improvement efforts. The summary presented in the Table 1 on numbered page 3 of the report highlights school improvement topics presented to the Board from August – December 2025.

The recently released JLARC report on Virginia’s K-12 School Accountability System (2025) shared the following four recommendations for school improvement.

Recommendation 10
The General Assembly may wish to consider including language in the Appropriation Act directing the Virginia Department of Education to (i) develop and submit a onetime, detailed plan for the state’s school improvement program by August 1, 2026, and (ii) annually develop and submit a status report that includes updates on key program activities, available and needed resources, program performance, and student and school outcomes. (Chapter 9)

Recommendation 11
The General Assembly may wish to consider amending §22.1-23 of the Code of Virginia to direct the superintendent of public instruction to consistently and effectively implement the state’s program to support improvement of low-performing schools. (Chapter 9)

Recommendation 12
The General Assembly may wish to consider amending §22.1-253.13.3 of the Code of Virginia to direct the Virginia Board of Education to ensure the state administers an effective school improvement program to support low-performing schools. (Chapter 9)

Recommendation 13
The Virginia Board of Education should contract with a qualified expert to conduct an independent evaluation of the effectiveness of the state’s school improvement program on a regular basis and use the evaluation results to direct changes to the program as needed. (Chapter 9)

The Department supports these recommendations and is taking proactive steps towards implementation.

This report documents the actions taken as well as future actions planned to continue advancing a cohesive, statewide school improvement strategy.