New test scores show little improvement among Virginia’s students, state remains around the national average
RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- Two years after Governor Glenn Youngkin (R) called Virginia’s results on a nationwide exam known as the Nation’s Report Card “dismal,” Virginia’s students are showing little signs of progress. “We have a long way to go,” Youngkin said on Wednesday. Newly released results from the 2024 exam found that Virginia’s 4th graders saw no improvement in their reading scores and only a four-point improvement (on a 500-point scale) compared to 2022. Meanwhile, 8th graders’ scores dropped four points on average in both subjects. However, despite that, Youngkin says he’s optimistic because although the results were released on Wednesday, students took this particular test before last year’s SOL tests, which showed a slight improvement in some areas. "The tests that we saw in May, our SOLs, which were done after these tests, demonstrate that we are making progress,” Youngkin said. The governor added that several of the investments his administration and the General Assembly have made in K-12 education have recently been or are still being implemented. However, in reaction to the results, Senator Schuyler VanValkenburg (D-Henrico) said that, while Youngkin isn’t solely to blame for the poor results, he does bear some responsibility. “For the last four years, we have had an administration that’s really been focused on short-term goals. Culture war issues, trying to privatize public schools. They’ve got another proposal to do that this year,” VanValkenburg told 8News. VanValkenburg added that to improve student outcomes, lawmakers need to reform Virginia’s school funding formula to prioritize school divisions that need more support. “That could be based on socio-economics. That could be based on English learners. That could be based on special education. It could be based on accountability systems, but it takes the money that the state provides for public education and goes to where it’s needed,” VanValkenburg explained. Even though Virginia didn’t see much improvement, the Nation’s Report Card found that Virginia’s students’ scores were right around the national average.
VENN
RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- Two years after Governor Glenn Youngkin (R) called Virginia’s results on a nationwide exam known as the Nation’s Report Card “dismal,” Virginia’s students are showing little signs of progress.
“We have a long way to go,” Youngkin said on Wednesday.
Newly released results from the 2024 exam found that Virginia’s 4th graders saw no improvement in their reading scores and only a four-point improvement (on a 500-point scale) compared to 2022.
Meanwhile, 8th graders’ scores dropped four points on average in both subjects.
However, despite that, Youngkin says he’s optimistic because although the results were released on Wednesday, students took this particular test before last year’s SOL tests, which showed a slight improvement in some areas.
"The tests that we saw in May, our SOLs, which were done after these tests, demonstrate that we are making progress,” Youngkin said.
The governor added that several of the investments his administration and the General Assembly have made in K-12 education have recently been or are still being implemented.
However, in reaction to the results, Senator Schuyler VanValkenburg (D-Henrico) said that, while Youngkin isn’t solely to blame for the poor results, he does bear some responsibility.
“For the last four years, we have had an administration that’s really been focused on short-term goals. Culture war issues, trying to privatize public schools. They’ve got another proposal to do that this year,” VanValkenburg told 8News.
VanValkenburg added that to improve student outcomes, lawmakers need to reform Virginia’s school funding formula to prioritize school divisions that need more support.
“That could be based on socio-economics. That could be based on English learners. That could be based on special education. It could be based on accountability systems, but it takes the money that the state provides for public education and goes to where it’s needed,” VanValkenburg explained.
Even though Virginia didn’t see much improvement, the Nation’s Report Card found that Virginia’s students’ scores were right around the national average.
