Stafford schools report progress on Goals 1 and 2 of strategic plan; digital career plans coming in 2026
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Summary
Superintendent Daniel Smith and goal chairs told the board the division is making steady progress on postsecondary outcomes and academic performance after three years of implementation, with School Links (digital academic and career plans) slated for 2026 and continued VLA-driven literacy work in elementary grades.
Superintendent Daniel Smith told the Stafford County School Board on Nov. 13 that the division is advancing its five-year strategic plan and that staff are reporting year-3 progress for Goals 1 and 2.
Goal 1 presenters said the division is prioritizing postsecondary readiness through Academic and Career Plans that begin in elementary school, more internships and specialty center advisory input, and celebration of students' "decision days." Staff reported that many tactics under Goal 1 are "on track" or complete under the district's 0'3 scoring rubric for objectives.
In the Goal 2 presentation, staff described implementation of the Virginia Literacy Act (VLA) for K'5, expanded professional learning in tier-1 instruction, new universal screeners piloted in grade 1, and coaching supports for elementary classrooms. The division also tallied increases in AP participation and the percentage of AP students scoring 3 or higher over the last three years.
Administrators said the division will launch School Links, a unified digital academic-and-career planning platform, during the 2025—26 school year. That platform is intended to serve as a living document for each student, enabling families to see course selections and postsecondary plans in real time and helping staff identify gaps and targeted supports.
Why it matters: Board members repeatedly flagged the VLA as a major operational priority that has redirected training and staff time. The digital ACP rollout aims to improve transparency for families and give principals tools to monitor student pathways, which staff said is essential for sustaining the strategic plan as the district moves into year 4 of 5.
What happens next: Staff will continue to provide data-level appendices (grade-level and course-level detail) in board materials and report back with additional implementation details as School Links is rolled out in 2026.