by Nathaniel Cline, Virginia Mercury

Lawmakers are pushing to delay Virginia’s revised school accountability system, claiming it was rushed and lacks clarity. On Monday, a Senate subcommittee advanced legislation to postpone the system, which was revamped by the Board of Education under Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s direction to better measure school quality and student learning outcomes. 

The revised system, known as the School Performance and Support Framework, aims to address earning loss and ensure schools foster effective educational programs rather than relying solely on accreditation to drive improvement. The U.S. Department of Education recently approved Virginia’s amendments to the plan, allowing full implementation next year to meet high expectations for students and support learning loss recovery.

However, some educators and lawmakers argue the framework was adopted too quickly, without sufficient input from stakeholders. “Accountability is absolutely essential” to improve schools, to support students and “get the resources that they need,” Senate Education and Health Committee Chair Ghazala Hashmi, D-Richmond, said at Monday’s meeting. “But we have to get it right.”

Key issues with the system include unclear data projections, unidentified resources for schools labeled “off track” or “needs intensive support,” and limited preparation time for English language learners ahead of assessments.

“We can’t move forward with an accreditation and accountability system that is going to continue to perpetuate issues and concerns that have faced us,” Hashmi said. “Taking another pause and having an opportunity to take a look at the proposed system, making the necessary changes is necessary so that we can actually move forward and do it right, so that we’re doing the best for all of our students, as well as our schools.”

Hashmi’s Senate Bill 979, proposes delaying the implementation of the new school accountability system by one year. During this time, the Board of Education would be tasked with forming a stakeholder advisory committee to gather input and ensure the system delivers “fair, transparent, and actionable results” aimed at improving student growth and learning outcomes. 

A companion measure, House Bill 2118, introduced by Del. Karen Keys-Gamarra, D-Fairfax, is awaiting consideration and had not been heard as of Tuesday morning.

Todd Reid, a VDOE spokesman, told The Mercury in December that any changes to the system would require a regulatory overhaul by the board, a process he described as lengthy.

On Monday evening, Andy Armstrong, associate superintendent of programs for VDOE, argued against the measure.

“With this legislation, the General Assembly would be directing the VDOE to withhold federally required information from parents, educators and communities on how their children’s schools are performing academically,” Armstrong said. “The system strategically targets resources and supports to the kids who need it the most.”

Armstrong also defended the framework as a “state of the art accountability system that will be a model for the rest of the nation, and we look forward to ensuring our kids get the support they need now, and not in a year.”

Hashmi acknowledged concerns from the administration that delaying the framework’s implementation could jeopardize federal funding and compliance with federal guidelines. To address these issues, Hashmi said an amendment accepted by the subcommittee would require the VDOE to apply for a revision to the state plan if the legislation is enacted.

Representatives from Northern Virginia school divisions and the Virginia Education Association spoke in favor of the delay. Keys-Gamarra, whose district includes school boards advocating for the postponement, said the framework needs clearer definitions for its measures and specific support plans for schools identified as needing improvement. 

Opposition to the bill also emerged. Melody Clarke, speaking on behalf of Virginia Institute Action, argued the delay would undermine support for students learning English as a second language and shift priorities away from measuring academic growth under the Board of Education’s new system. 

“The new accountability system is taking full effect next fall, providing much needed transparency to Virginia communities, parents and students,” Clarke said. “But only if our Virginia Democrats unite with Republicans and put our Virginia students first.” 

Youngkin’s proposed budget includes $50 million for “schools that need support the most,” part of $1 billion in new education funding. 

Sen. Schuyler VanValkenburg, D-Henrico, who chairs the subcommittee and is a public school teacher, abstained from the vote. But he expressed concern over the frequent changes to the state’s accountability framework, noting the instability it has caused for schools.

“I think some certainty around what we’re doing and the next steps forward are important, because we’ve had three accountability systems in 10 years, and that hasn’t been great for schools,” VanValkenburg said.

He added that while some issues can be attributed to the current administration, consistency is critical for moving forward. “I’m not sure what that means for my vote at the end of the day, but for today, it’s going to be an abstention, so I can ponder more.”

The bill now moves to the Senate Health and Education Committee for further consideration. Sens. Mark Peake, R-Lynchburg, and Christie New Craig, R-Chesapeake, voted against the measure but did not comment during the hearing.

Virginia Mercury is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Virginia Mercury maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Samantha Willis for questions: info@virginiamercury.com.