Virginia education officials outline accountability hub, regional support teams and plan for statewide assessment contract

Dr. Lisa Coombs, Virginia superintendent of public instruction, told the Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee’s Education Subcommittee that the State Board of Education’s School Performance and Support Resource Hub is live and that the department is preparing technical analyses and recommendations for how the governor’s proposed funds could be used to support schools preliminarily identified as “off track” or needing intensive support.

The presentation, given Dec. 14 in Richmond, covered the department’s outreach and data work behind the new accountability framework, plans for regional school support teams, and the department’s handling of the statewide student assessment contract and an associated request-for-information process. Coombs said the U.S. Department of Education approved Virginia’s accountability framework Jan. 3, 2024, and that the performance hub launched Nov. 8 to provide community-facing data kits and training for educators and families. “Our performance hub launched on November 8th to give community members framework overviews, data tool kits, resources, both family and educators,” Coombs said.

Why it matters: The governor’s proposed budget includes one-time and ongoing funding to assist…