Public education in Virginia

K-12 education in Virginia

Education facts

State superintendent: Lisa Coons

Number of students: 1,296,817

Number of teachers: 87,166

Teacher/pupil ratio: 1:14.8

Number of school districts: 132

Number of schools: 2,015

Graduation rate: 88%

Per-pupil spending: $12,905

See also

Virginia Department of Education • List of school districts in Virginia • Virginia • School boards portal

Public education in the United States Public education in Virginia Glossary of education terms

Note: The statistics on this page are mainly from government sources, including the U.S. Census Bureau and the National Center for Education Statistics. Figures given were the most recent as of June 2015.

The Virginia public school system (prekindergarten through grade 12) operates within districts governed by locally elected school boards and superintendents. In 2022, Virginia had 1,296,817 students enrolled in a total of 2,015 schools in 132 school districts. There were 87,166 teachers in the public schools, or roughly one teacher for every 15 students, compared to the national average of 1:16. In 2020, Virginia spent on average $12,905 per pupil.^[1] The state's graduation rate was 88 percent in the 2018-2019 school year.^[2]

General information

See also: General comparison table for education statistics in the 50 states and Education spending per pupil in all 50 states

The following chart shows how Virginia compares to the national level for the most recent years for which data is available.

Academic performance

The sections below do not contain the most recently published data on this subject. If you would like to help our coverage grow, consider donating to Ballotpedia.

Education terms
For more information on education policy terms, see this article.
School board elections portal Glossary of education terms School choice on the ballot Education on the ballot

NAEP scores

See also: NAEP scores by state

The National Center for Education Statistics provides state-by-state data on student achievement levels in mathematics and reading in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). The table below presents the percentage of fourth and eighth grade students that scored at or above proficient in reading and math during school year 2012-2013. Compared to three neighboring states (Maryland, North Carolina, and West Virginia), Virginia had the highest percentage of eighth grade students scoring at or above proficient in math. Both fourth and eighth grade students fell below those in Maryland in reading.^[3]

Graduation, ACT and SAT scores

See also: Graduation rates by groups in state and ACT and SAT scores in the United States

The following table shows the graduation rates and average composite ACT and SAT scores for Virginia and surrounding states during the 2012-2013 school year. All statements made in this section refer to that school year.^[3][4][5]

In the United States, public schools reported graduation rates that averaged to about 81.4 percent. About 54 percent of all students in the country took the ACT, while 50 percent reported taking the SAT. The average national composite scores for those tests were 20.9 out of a possible 36 for the ACT, and 1498 out of a possible 2400 for the SAT.^[6]

Virginia schools reported a graduation rate of 84.5 percent during the 2012-2013 school year, second highest among its neighboring states.

In Virginia, more students took the SAT than the ACT in 2013, earning an average SAT score of 1528.

Dropout rate

See also: Public high school dropout rates by state for a full comparison of dropout rates by group in all states

The high school event dropout rate indicates the proportion of students who were enrolled at some time during the school year and were expected to be enrolled in grades nine through 12 in the following school year but were not enrolled by October 1 of the following school year. Students who have graduated, transferred to another school, died, moved to another country, or who are out of school due to illness are not considered dropouts. The average public high school event dropout rate for the United States remained constant at 3.3 percent for both school year 2010–2011 and school year 2011–2012. The event dropout rate for Virginia was lower than the national average at 2.3 percent in the 2010-2011 school year, and 1.9 percent in the 2011-2012 school year.^[7]

Educational choice options

See also: School choice in Virginia

School choice options in Virginia included charter schools, education improvement tax credits, homeschooling, online learning, private schools and voluntary public school open enrollment policies as of June 2015.

Developments

Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue (2020)

Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue
Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue
Media coverage and commentary
U.S. Supreme Court 2019-2020 term
Blaine Amendment (U.S. Constitution)
Blaine amendments in state constitutions
School choice on the ballot
Education on the ballot

See also: Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue

On June 30, 2020, the U.S. Supreme Court decided Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue, which concerned whether the government can exclude religious institutions from student-aid programs. The case related to Article X, Section 6 of the Montana Constitution, also known as Montana’s Blaine Amendment.^[8]

In its 5-4 opinion, the court held that the application of Article X, Section 6 violated the free exercise clause of the U.S. Constitution. The majority held Article X, Section 6 barred religious schools and parents who wished to send their children to those schools from receiving public benefits because of the religious character of the school.^[9]

The case addressed the tension between the free exercise and Establishment clauses of the U.S. Constitution—where one guarantees the right of individuals' free exercise of religion and the other guarantees that the state won't establish a religion—and the intersections of state constitutions with state law and with the U.S. Constitution.

Virginia is one of the states with a Blaine Amendment.

Education funding and expenditures

See also: Virginia state budget and finances

Breakdown of expenditures by function in fiscal year 2013
Source: National Association of State Budget Officers

According to the National Association of State Budget Officers (NASBO), states spent an average of 19.8 percent of their total budgets on elementary and secondary education during fiscal year 2013. In addition, the United States Census Bureau found that approximately 45.6 percent of the country's school system revenue came from state sources, while about 45.3 percent came from local sources. The remaining portion of school system revenue came from federal sources.^[10][11]

Virginia spent approximately 15.1 percent of its budget on elementary and secondary education during fiscal year 2013. School system revenue came primarily from local funds. Compared to its neighboring states, Virginia reported the second lowest percentage of its total budget spent on public education.

Revenue breakdowns

See also: Public school system revenues in the U.S. to compare all states.

According to the United States Census Bureau, public school system revenues totaled approximately $598 billion in fiscal year 2013.^[11]

In Virginia, the primary source of school system revenue came from local sources during fiscal year 2013, at $8 billion. Virginia reported greater total public education revenue than any of its neighboring states during that year.

Expenditure breakdowns

See also: Public school system expenditures in the United States

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, public school system expenditures totaled approximately $602 billion in fiscal year 2012.^[12]

Public education expenditures in Virginia totaled approximately $14.7 billion in fiscal year 2012. Virginia reported greater total public education expenditures than any of its neighboring states during fiscal year 2012.

Personnel salaries

See also: Public school teacher salaries in the United States

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, the average national salary for classroom teachers in public elementary and secondary schools declined by 1.3 percent from the 1999-2000 school year to the 2012-2013 school year. During the same period in Virginia, the average salary decreased by 5.8 percent.^[14]

Organizations

State agencies

See also: Virginia Department of Education

The Virginia Department of Education works in conjunction with the Virginia Board of Education as well as local school boards to create and maintain the state's public school system.^[15] The Department of Education is led by the Superintendent of Public Instruction. Steven R. Staples was appointed to the position in 2014.^[16]

The mission statement of the Virginia Department of Education reads:^[17]

The Virginia Board of Education is in charge of governing and creating policy for the Virginia public school system. The Board of Education is composed of nine members who are appointed to four-year terms by the governor and confirmed by the Virginia General Assembly.^[17][19]

Unions

In 2012, the Fordham Institute and Education Reform Now assessed the power and influence of state teacher unions in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Their rankings were based on 37 different variables in five broad areas, including resources and membership, involvement in politics, scope of bargaining, state policies and perceived influence. Virginia ranked 47th overall for union power and influence, or "weakest," which was in the last tier of five.^[20]

The main union related to the Virginia school system is the Virginia Education Association (VEA), an affiliate of the National Education Association (NEA).

List of local Virginia school unions:^[21]

• Virginia Education Association
• Fairfax Education Association
• Richmond Education Association
• Norfolk Federation Of Teachers
• Education Association of Norfolk
• Education Association of Alexandria
• Loudoun Education Association
• Arlington Education Association

Government sector lobbying

See also: Virginia government sector lobbying

The main education government sector lobbying organization is the Virginia School Boards Association. The government sector lobbying organization for school personnel is the Virginia Association of School Personnel Administrators.

Transparency

In 2009 the Virginia State Legislature passed two transparency bills: Senate Bill 936 and House Bill 2285.^[22] SB 936 and HB 2285 created a searchable database website containing information on state revenues, appropriations and expenditures.^[23]

Studies and reports

Quality Counts 2014

See also: Education Week survey

Education Week, a publication that reports on many education issues throughout the country, began using an evaluation system in 1997 to grade each state on various elements of education performance. This system, called Quality Counts, uses official data on performance from each state to generate report cards for all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The report card in 2014 uses six different categories:

1. Chance for success
2. K-12 achievement
3. Standards, assessments and accountability
4. The teaching profession
5. School finance
6. Transitions and alignment

Each of these six categories had a number of other elements that received individual scores. Those scores were then averaged and used to determine the final score in each category. Every state received two types of scores for each of the six major categories: A numerical score out of 100 and a letter grade based on that score. Education Week used the score for the first category, "chance for success," as the value for ranking each state and the District of Columbia. The average grade received in the entire country was 77.3, or a C+ average. The country's highest average score was in the category of "standards, assessments and accountability" at 85.3, or a B average. The lowest average score was in "K-12 achievement", at 70.2, or a C- average.

Virginia received a score of 84.8, or a B average in the "chance for success" category. This was above the national average. The state's highest score was in "standards, assessments and accountability" at 93.3, or an A average. The lowest score was in "K-12 achievement" at 74.2, or a C average. Virginia earned above-average scores in all six categories. The chart below displays the scores of Virginia and its surrounding states.^[24]

Note: Click on a column heading to sort the data.

ABCs of School Choice

The Friedman Foundation for Educational Choice publishes a comprehensive guide to private school choice programs across the U.S. In its 2014 edition, the Foundation reviewed Virginia's Education Improvement Scholarships Tax Credits Program, which was launched in 2013. The program gives tax credits to businesses and individual taxpayers who donate to scholarship granting organizations. Unless there are special circumstances, only students whose household income is less than 300 percent of the federal poverty line are eligible to receive the scholarships. The Foundation found that the program's $25 million funding cap further limits the number of students who are eligible to receive funding. The Foundation suggested the funding cap be increased, the eligibility standards be widened to include more students and the amount of scholarship funding for each student be increased as well.^[25] The full Friedman Foundation report can be found here.

State Budget Solutions education study

See also: State spending on education v. academic performance (2012)

State Budget Solutions examined national trends in education from 2009 to 2011, including state-by-state analysis of education spending, graduation rates and average ACT scores. The study showed that the states that spent the most did not have the highest average ACT test scores, nor did they have the highest average graduation rates. A summary of the study is available here. The full report can be accessed here.

Issues

Mandated mental health instruction in ninth and 10th grades

On March 19, 2018, Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam signed legislation (HB 1604/SB 953) requiring mental health instruction in grades nine and 10 in public schools. The legislation, sponsored by Sen. Creigh Deeds (D), was suggested by three high school students who thought high school students needed more mental health resources and decided the best approach would be a statewide educational program. Virginia was one of the first states to mandate mental health instruction in public schools.^[26]

School districts

See also: School board elections portal

District types

School districts in Virginia are divided into city and county districts. A city district serves students within the confines of a single city, while a county district operates schools within the boundaries of a county.^[27]

School board composition

Virginia school board members are generally elected by residents of the school district, although some school board members are appointed to fill vacancies until the next election for the seat is held. Virginia school board elections typically follow one of these three methods, or a mixture thereof:^[28]

• At-large: All voters residing in the school district may vote for any candidates running, regardless of geographic location.
• Trustee area: Only voters residing in a specific geographic area within the school district may vote on certain candidates, who must also reside in that specific geographic area.
• Trustee area at-large: All voters residing in the school district may vote for any candidates running, but candidates must reside in specific geographic areas within the school district.

School boards can consists of five, seven or nine members. Board members typically serve four-year terms.^[28]

Term limits

Virginia does not impose statewide term limits on school board members. However, terms limits on school board members can still be imposed on the local level.^[28]

Elections

See also: Virginia school board elections, 2024

The table below contains links to all school board elections covered by Ballotpedia in 2024 in this state. This list may not include all school districts with elections in 2024. Ballotpedia's coverage includes all school districts in the 100 largest cities by population and the 200 largest school districts by student enrollment.

Editor's note: Some school districts choose to cancel the primary election, or both the primary and general election, if the number of candidates who filed does not meet a certain threshold. The table below does not reflect which primary or general elections were canceled. Please click through to each school district's page for more information.

Path to the ballot

To qualify for the ballot as a school board candidate in Virginia, a person must be:^[28]

• 18 years of age or older
• A citizen of the United States
• A resident of Virginia for at least one year prior to the election
• A current resident of the school district

Each candidate must file a Certificate of Candidate Qualification and a Statement of Economic Interests to the city or county's election office.^[28]

Campaign finance

State law requires candidates who receive or spend $1,000 or more in an election cycle to file campaign finance reports. A candidate who does not plan on receiving or spending $1,000 or more during an election must file a pre-election and post-election report detailing large contributions. Candidates who receive or spend more than $1,000 must file detailed pre-election and post-election reports. Reports filed electronically are submitted to the state elections board while paper reports are delivered to city or county elections officials.^[28]

Recent legislation

The following is a list of recent education bills that have been introduced in or passed by the Virginia state legislature. To learn more about each of these bills, click the bill title. This information is provided by BillTrack50 and LegiScan.

Note: Due to the nature of the sorting process used to generate this list, some results may not be relevant to the topic. If no bills are displayed below, no legislation pertaining to this topic has been introduced in the legislature recently.

Education ballot measures

See also: Education on the ballot and List of Virginia ballot measures

Ballotpedia has tracked the following statewide ballot measures relating to education.

1. Virginia Bond Question 1 (2002)
2. Virginia 1968 State of Virginia Higher Educational Institutions Bonds (1968)

In the news

The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Virginia education policy. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.

See also

• Historical public education information in Virginia
• Virginia state budget and finances
• Virginia Department of Education
• List of school districts in Virginia
• School choice in Virginia
• Charter schools in Virginia
• Virginia
• Education Policy in the U.S.

External links

• Virginia Department of Education
• Virginia Superintendent
• Virginia Board of Education
• Virginia School Report Card
• Virtual Virginia
• Virginia State School Ratings by PSK12
• Virginia State School Ratings by Great Schools

Footnotes

	v • e State of Virginia Richmond (capital)
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