Poquoson superintendent says state data error, parent refusals led to 'off track' label for elementary schools

Superintendent Tillett told the Poquoson City Public Schools Board on Dec. 16 that while division schools outperformed state averages on many assessments, the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) notified the division on Dec. 4 that the primary and elementary schools would be categorized "off track" and federally identified for the students-with-disabilities subgroup.

Tillett said the division found errors in the data the state used and that correcting a single student's inclusion under VDOE participation guidance would raise the subgroup's reading indicator above the state-provided threshold and remove the federal identification. "Correcting and excluding that one student's data would result in us meeting and exceeding the threshold for students with disability in the area of reading," he said.

Tillett and staff also explained how parent test refusals affect accountability calculations. Because divisions must meet a 95% participation rate, the state adds nonparticipants into the calculation when participation falls below that level; those additions are scored as zeros and lower indicator percentages. Tillett presented an alternate calculation excluding parent refusals to illustrate the underlying performance of students with disabilities separate from participation penalties.

Division staff said they have communicated the identified data issues to the VDOE and received an initial acknowledgement; the state told the division it will review the submission but provided no timeline for completion. "They stated they would review the data and provide an update once the review was complete," Tillett said.

Tillett urged transparency and outreach to families about how opt-outs affect accountability, and described local steps to strengthen supports for students with disabilities, including staffing adjustments and expanded classroom options. He also noted the sensitivity of accountability measures in small divisions, where the inclusion or exclusion of a single student can meaningfully shift subgroup percentages.

The superintendent also presented related performance context and supports: Poquoson reported strong mastery and readiness indicators at the middle and high school levels, continued expansion of dual enrollment and CTE options, and new instructional tools (Lexia and IXL) intended to support growth. He said the division has set up an "Accountability and Accreditation" channel on its Let's Talk platform for community questions and will prepare an FAQ once the division has updated information from the state.

Next steps: the division has submitted corrected data to the VDOE and awaits the state's response; the board discussed follow-up and public communication plans.