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David
Blount, Editor
The fourth and final piece of the state’s education
reform efforts is the School Performance Report Card. As in
most states, the school report card in Virginia is part of
a much larger system of accountability that includes standards-based
assessments and school accreditation. The school report card
has a short and brief legislative history in Virginia, having
been included in the Standards of Accreditation (SOA) in October
1997. The following summer, the report card format was revised
and approved. It was distributed to parents and communities
in Spring 1999 and is now provided annually in the fall. A
separate report card is developed for each school and includes
information on student SOL test performance and school accreditation
ratings, as well as information and data on things such as
attendance and dropout rates and school safety. High school
report cards include additional information on the likes of
advanced studies and diplomas.
The only legislative action concerning report cards occurred
in 1999, when the General Assembly approved HB
2077, which directed the Board of Education to consider
special school division accomplishments, such as dual enrollments
and Advanced Placement courses, in recognizing school division
performance. In 2000, the legislature failed to approve SB
650, which would have required local school boards to
implement plans to ensure the diversity of school board employees
and to identify such on the school report card.
None anticipated.
1999 – HB 2077
2000 – SB 650
As stated in the Public Accountability: School Report Cards
issue briefing, more than four-fifths of states will be publishing
school report cards by 2001. Information on states’ school
report cards is available at The
Center for Education Reform.
In late 2000, Congress approved a $90 million increase to
the School Accountability Program, which, under Title I, provides
funding to schools needing improvement. During the 106th session
of Congress, several bills were introduced in the Senate,
but not approved, requiring states to disseminate annual school
report cards. Most significant of these was the Standardized
School Report Card Act, which would require report cards to
include, among other things, information on student performance,
attendance, graduation and dropout rates, teacher qualifications,
average class sizes, extent of parental involvement and student
access to technology. School report cards also would be required
under a proposed Safe Schools Act and the Student Education
Enrichment Demonstration Act.
Virginia
Department of Education
THOMAS
Click here for a policy issue briefing on “Public
Accountability: School Report Cards.”
Click cepi@vcu.edu to provide
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Copyright © CEPI 2000
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