Virginia’s National Education Scores Show Little Improvement Since 2022

RICHMOND, Va. — Virginia‘s 2024 results on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), a congressionally mandated assessment, showed little change from 2022, with fourth-graders continuing to struggle with reading and math proficiency. The results, released Wednesday, highlight ongoing challenges in the state’s education system following the COVID-19 pandemic.

Fourth-grade reading scores remained stagnant at 214 out of 500, matching the 2022 results. Math scores for the same group improved slightly, rising two points to 238. However, eighth-graders saw declines, with reading scores dropping four points to 256 and math scores falling four points to 275.

Gov. Glenn Youngkin emphasized that the assessments were taken before the implementation of his $418 million ALL In VA plan, which allocates funds for tutoring, learning acceleration, and addressing chronic absenteeism. “We knew we had a big problem,” Youngkin said at a news conference. “We moved mountains and resources and capabilities, and those mountains and resources and capabilities are working.”

State Superintendent Lisa Coons highlighted efforts to improve education after the assessments were conducted. “We know that our school divisions launched tutoring programs. We launched statewide platforms and tutoring,” Coons said. “We worked diligently on chronic absenteeism, and many of our school divisions have gone bell-to-bell … cellphone free or removed cellphones completely from their classrooms.”

Sen. Schuyler VanValkenburg, D-Henrico, a public school teacher, criticized the administration’s focus on culture wars and privatization over core educational issues. “The last four years, we’ve had an administration that insisted on blaming its predecessor and then got bogged down in fighting culture wars and trying to privatize public education, rather than focusing on the kind of core issues that would help fix the problem,” VanValkenburg said.

Virginia’s performance on the NAEP, often referred to as “The Nation’s Report Card,” places the state largely on par with national averages. For fourth-grade reading, Virginia ranks higher than five states, lower than nine, and on par with 37. In eighth-grade math, Virginia ranks lower than 10 states, higher than 24, and on par with 17.

Richmond Public Schools Superintendent Jason Kamras touted local successes, but broader challenges remain. The 2024 results come amid ongoing debates over school funding and accountability. The State Board of Education recently approved a new accountability system ranking schools in four performance categories, though some officials have criticized its rollout as rushed.

Carol Bauer, president of the Virginia Education Association, called for increased funding and support for public schools. “Virginia now ranks dead last in the nation for fourth-grade math test score recovery since the pandemic — an alarming failure reflecting inadequate support of our schools,” Bauer said.

The NAEP results, typically released in the fall, were delayed this year to avoid interference with the presidential election. The findings come as Virginia lawmakers debate education policy and funding during the current legislative session.