Va. gets strong grade in overall educational quality

By Staff Reports

Published: January 8, 2009

-- A report released today gives Virginia a B in overall educational quality, ranking the state fourth in the nation and better than the U.S. average.

Virginia scored 83.2 out of 100, compared to the national average of 76.2, or C. The states that scored higher were Maryland, Massachusetts and New York, according to the report by researchers at Editorial Projects in Education, which publishes Education Week.

The "Quality Counts" report measured state education in several categories, including academic achievement, school finance, and standards, assessments and accountability.

A section of the 2009 report focused on the teaching and performance of English-learning students. While it didn't assess a letter grade in the category, the report noted that Virginia has standards for English-language teaching but doesn't require all prospective teachers to demonstrate competence in such instruction.

About 83,800 students received state educational services in 2006-07, the most recent data available, according to the report.

The state scored an A, its highest grade, in the "standards, assessments and accountability" category, compared to a B average nationwide. Virginia ranked sixth nationwide in the category, the report said.

In the "chance for success" category -- which examines indicators such as parents' income and employment levels and participation in preschool and postsecondary education -- the state scored a B, compared to the C-plus national average. The report noted that 77 percent of Virginia children had at least one parent working full time in 2007, and more than 51 percent of children had at least one parent with a postsecondary degree during the same period.

Virginia scored a C in student achievement, compared to the D-plus national average. Researchers evaluated states on benchmarks including fourthand eighth-graders' performance on national math and reading tests, results of Advanced Placement exams and high school graduation rates.

In the "school finance" category, Virginia matched the national average of C-plus, ranking 18th nationally. The report noted that per-pupil spending, adjusted for regional cost differences, was $8,725 in 2006, according to the most recent figures. The national average for adjusted per-pupil spending was $9,644, the report said.

-- The Associated Press