Richmond Public Schools (RPS) released a statement following the Virginia Department of Education’s new school ratings, which were published today. The division acknowledged both ongoing challenges and recent improvements in student achievement.
Under the state’s updated accountability system, RPS reported five schools classified as ‘distinguished’ and nine schools as ‘on track’. Twenty-three schools were identified as ‘off track’, while five require intensive support. The district noted that comparisons to previous years are not possible due to this being the first year under the new framework, and stated that this year’s data will serve as a baseline for future progress.
The division highlighted notable improvements among its high schools, with nearly all experiencing ten-point gains compared to last year’s performance within the new system. All but one high school achieved either an ‘on track’ or ‘distinguished’ rating. “A huge shout-out to John Marshall and Thomas Jefferson, our two comprehensive high schools that earned more than 90 points. Additionally, Richmond Community, Open, and Franklin Military Academy all earned more than 100 points,” the statement said.
RPS also emphasized advances in reading and math scores over the past three years, pointing out that growth constitutes a significant portion of elementary and middle-school evaluations under the current accountability model.
The district acknowledged areas needing attention. “Increasing targeted supports: Digging into our data, many of our ‘off track’ or ‘needs intensive support’ schools were designated as such based on data for just one specific subgroup: We’re committed to working with teachers, students, and families to meet every child’s needs,” according to the statement.
RPS plans to focus on demonstrating continued growth in student outcomes so that more schools can exit their identified status next year. “We are already on track here! When a school is historically under-served, the federal government and the state understandably expect to see growth for multiple years. We have many schools that just need to show growth for one more year to exit their ‘identified’ status. We’re excited to see their progress over the next year, and to see their successes reflected in 2026’s data.”
District leadership cited investments in early literacy programs, graduation support services, resources for multilingual learners, and teacher professional development as factors contributing to positive trends. They welcomed higher standards and increased transparency in reporting school performance statewide.
“In return, though, we ask that the Commonwealth continue to match that higher bar with the necessary funding to fuel growth. We look forward to continuing to work with the VDOE, and to work with the new Administration, to invest in and support Richmond students,” RPS stated.
