Alexandria VA Schools See Score Gains at 16 of 17 Schools – One Earned Virginia’s Top Rating

ALEXANDRIA, VA — Alexandria City Public Schools scores increased at 16 of 17 schools under Virginia’s School Performance and Support Framework, with an average gain of 3.5 index points, according to results released by ACPS. Pass rates on the Standards of Learning tests rose across all three tested subjects. Reading increased from 85.4% to 86.9%, mathematics from 83.9% to 85.7%, and science from 92.1% to 93.6%. Lyles-Crouch Traditional Academy was the division’s only school to earn the Distinguished Performance designation, marking the second consecutive year it received the top rating. Its reading pass rate increased from 83% to 85%, while its science pass rate rose from 83% to 89%. Cora Kelly School for Math, Science and Technology, Mount Vernon Community School, and Ferdinand T. Day Elementary School moved out of the Needs Intensive Support category.

The School Performance and Support Framework and How ACPS are Improving those Ratings

The School Performance and Support Framework uses different measures and weights by school level:

• Elementary schools: Mastery, 65%; Growth, 25%; Readiness, 10%.
• Middle schools: Mastery, 60%; Growth, 20%; Readiness, 20%.
• High schools: Mastery, 50%; Readiness, 35%; Graduation, 15%.

ACPS reports overall ratings as Distinguished Performance for scores of 90 or higher, Meets Expectations for scores from 80 to 89, Approaching Expectations for scores from 65 to 79, and Needs Intensive Support for scores below 65. A school’s rating can also be lowered when an individual student group falls below state standards.

ACPS says it will continue using achievement, attendance and student-group data to guide school improvement plans and instructional support. The division also plans to strengthen classroom instruction, expand professional learning and coaching, and provide targeted assistance to schools based on their needs. Students with disabilities and English learners remain important areas of focus as the division works to ensure that academic progress reaches every student.

ACPS is Making Progress in Attendance and English Learning

Chronic absenteeism fell from 13.8% to 12.0%, with 11 of the division’s 17 schools showing improvement. The percentage of English learners meeting language-growth targets increased from 50.7% to 54.0%, and 13 schools improved on that measure.

Federal Support Designations

Under the federal accountability system, 15 Alexandria schools received a Targeted Support and Improvement designation, one received a Comprehensive Support and Improvement designation, and one received no federal identification. Students with disabilities were the group that triggered the designation at 15 of the 16 identified schools.

The Best News for ACPS

All 17 ACPS schools were fully accredited for the 2025–26 school year. Performance ratings under the state framework are separate from accreditation.