State Board, Data & Funding

Virginia Board of Education

Local school boards, the state Board of Education, and the General Assembly share responsibility for establishing policies for Virginia’s public schools. For example:

• Local school boards are responsible for the day-to-day governance and operations of schools, including personnel policies, the promotion and retention of students, and student conduct
• The state Board of Education establishes statewide curriculum standards, graduation requirements, school accreditation standards, and teacher licensure requirements
• The General Assembly is responsible for state laws governing education

Accreditation & Accountability

Virginia public schools receive annual state accreditation ratings, and there is federal accountability reporting, based on the performance of students on state assessments in English, mathematics, and science as well as other measures of quality and performance.

Exemplar Awards

Schools are identified for exemplar performance under the Board of Education’s authority prescribed in the Regulations Establishing the Standards for Accrediting Public Schools in Virginia (8VAC20-131.410).

Data & Reports

VDOE provides reports on a variety of data related to public education in the commonwealth, including information on enrollment, demographics, student achievement, finances, and safety. Reports provide detailed information about the quality of learning and instruction, including state and federal accountability ratings, grade-by-grade data on student achievement, graduation rates, and teacher qualifications.

School Finance

Virginia's public schools are financed through a combination of state, local, and federal funds. The private sector also contributes through partnerships with schools and school divisions.

The apportionment of the state funds for public education is the responsibility of the General Assembly through the Appropriations Act. General fund appropriations serve as the mainstay of state support for the commonwealth's public schools, augmented by retail sales and use tax revenues, state lottery proceeds, and other sources.

Counties, cities, and towns comprising school divisions also support public education. They provide the locality's share to maintain an educational program meeting the commonwealth's Standards of Quality.

While public education is primarily a state and local responsibility, the federal government aids state and local education agencies in support of specific federal initiatives and mandates.