Poquoson officials say VDOE accountability data delayed after state flags errors; local review underway
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Summary
Superintendent and staff told the board the Virginia Department of Education provided raw accountability data that the state then embargoed to allow third‑party verification after finding errors; Poquoson staff are reviewing the data for inaccuracies and will present designations when the VDOE releases verified results.
Poquoson City Public Schools on Oct. 21 updated the school board on a delay in the Virginia Department of Education’s (VDOE) release of accountability and accreditation designations. Division staff said the VDOE sent raw spreadsheets with the division’s data but then embargoed the designations while a third party reviews and verifies data from many school divisions.
Assistant Superintendent for Instruction (presenting), who reviewed the VDOE materials, told the board staff have scrutinized the raw data and found discrepancies similar to those reported by other divisions. She said school staff discovered mismatches in denominators and other cells that require student‑by‑student verification. The VDOE has not provided a specific timeline but expects to release the verified accountability designations soon.
The division emphasized the distinction between accreditation (compliance processes) and accountability (performance designations under the new VDOE framework). The presenter noted the new framework converts percentages into point values that determine designations and that the VDOE will not round scores (for example, 89.6 will not round to 90). That policy could affect narrow thresholds between designations.
Staff thanked data coordinator Kimberly Montalvo for work reviewing the raw spreadsheets and said school improvement planning is already underway using validated pass-rate data the division has retained for SOL assessments. The presenter cautioned that some new VDOE metrics, such as a growth measure, use formulas not fully explained in the materials provided to divisions.
Board members asked whether the division can proceed with school improvement work despite the embargoed designations. Staff said local planning continues based on available SOL pass-rate data and attendance records, and the division will update the board once the VDOE releases verified accountabilities.
"We have the raw data for SOL pass rates and are already building school improvement plans," the presenter said. "But we do not yet have the official accountability designations from VDOE."