Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS) saw an increase in the number of schools earning Virginia’s highest performance rating this year, with 66 of 98 eligible schools rated Distinguished, up from 46 last year.

Overall, 88 LCPS schools, or 90%, were rated Distinguished or Meets Expectations under the Virginia Department of Education’s School Performance and Support Framework (SPSF). Nine schools were rated Approaching Expectations, and one was rated Needs Intensive Support. This represents an improvement from last year, when 18 LCPS schools were rated in the two lowest performance categories.

The SPSF measures school performance using several indicators, including academic mastery, student growth, readiness and, for high schools, graduation. Schools receive an overall score and one of four performance ratings: Distinguished, Meets Expectations, Approaching Expectations or Needs Intensive Support.

All LCPS schools are also fully accredited. Accreditation is separate from the SPSF and evaluates whether schools meet state requirements related to areas such as health and safety, staffing, compliance and planning.

“Accountability and accreditation are two of many measures that provide insight into how we are serving our students and where we can continue to grow. While we are certainly proud of the work happening every day in our schools, more work is in front of us. We remain focused on continuous improvement and ensuring every LCPS student is supported, challenged and prepared for success,” said Superintendent Dr. Aaron Spence.

Schools may also receive federal designations based on the performance of all students or specific student groups. This year, seven schools exited Targeted Support status, including Cardinal Ridge, Countryside, Dominion Trail, Evergreen Mill, Guilford, Leesburg and Potowmack Elementary Schools. Fourteen LCPS schools were identified for Targeted Support and Improvement (TSI), and two were identified for Comprehensive Support and Improvement (CSI). Under state and federal rules, these designations can affect a school’s overall SPSF rating. For example, a school identified for targeted support is placed one performance category lower, even when its overall SPSF score would otherwise place it in a higher category.     

“For schools identified by the state as needing additional support, we are committed to providing targeted, data-informed resources and strategies that will empower our teachers and deliver the most impactful support for the students who need it most,” said Chief Academic Officer Dr. Ashley Ellis.

LCPS schools also compared favorably with other large school divisions in VDOE’s Region 4. Sixty-seven percent of eligible LCPS schools were rated Distinguished, compared with 49% of schools across the region. LCPS had the highest percentage of Distinguished schools among the state’s large school divisions.

Every LCPS school rated below Meets Expectations has a support plan, and LCPS will report progress for those schools to the School Board.

For more information about the School Performance and Support Framework and accreditation results, visit the Virginia Department of Education’s School Quality Profiles. Additional information about LCPS state performance results will be discussed at the next Loudoun County School Board meeting being held Oct. 13.

* LCPS has 100 schools. The Academies of Loudoun and North Star are not included in SPSF ratings because they are not comprehensive schools. Students attending these programs are concurrently enrolled in an LCPS comprehensive high school.