LCPS Graduation Rates, SOL and AP Testing Outpace State

Overall achievement for students in Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS) exceeds state averages across SOL test results, AP testing, and on-time graduation rates. All of LCPS’ 98 schools remain accredited.  

“While we still have work to do on behalf of our students and families, we have a lot to be proud of in LCPS,” said Dr. Aaron Spence, Superintendent.  "I want to thank our educators for their steadfast commitment to meeting the needs of each child, every day so that they may achieve their dreams and make meaningful contributions to our community and beyond. We are so lucky in LCPS to have such a dedicated, exemplary workforce, and so much of what we're able to accomplish is because of them."

Graduation Rates: In 2023, LCPS graduated 6356 students. According to Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) data released today, LCPS achieved an on-time graduation rate of 96.7 percent for the students in the class of 2023 who entered the ninth grade in 2019. The On-Time Graduation Rate calculates the percentage of students who complete high school within four years. The LCPS graduation rate was 4.8 points above the Virginia average of 91.9 percent. Last year’s rates were 97.2 for LCPS and 92.2 for the state.  

Among the Northern Virginia divisions, only Falls Church City Public Schools had a higher graduation rate (98.5).

Seventeen of Loudoun’s 18 high schools had a graduation rate at or above the state average, compared to sixteen last year. Seven of Loudoun’s 18 high schools increased their graduation rate; W. O. Robey increased their graduation rate by 13.5 percent to 96.8 percent.

Advanced Placement Testing: According to the newly released VDOE School Quality Profiles, LCPS has made significant gains in the number of students participating in advanced academic coursework. 

The number of Advanced Placement (AP) tests taken has increased from 1,624 in 2020-2021 to 10,125 in 2022-2023. LCPS saw an increase in AP course enrollments by approximately 950 in the last year from 2021-2022 to 2022-2023. Additionally, enrollment in Dual Enrollment courses has increased from 5,689 in 2021-2022 to 6,248 in 2022-2023.

LCPS covers the cost of the first four AP tests each student takes in their high school career and continues to have a strong relationship with local community colleges such as Northern Virginia Community College to be able to offer these advanced academic opportunities for students. 

Standards of Learning Assessments: Reports of pass rates on the 2023 Standards of Learning (SOL) tests released by the VDOE today show that LCPS continues to outperform the state in all subject areas. Eighty percent of LCPS students passed an English: Reading SOL test in the spring of 2023 compared to 73% of all students in Virginia and 76 percent of LCPS passed a Math test, 7 points higher than the statewide pass rate of 69%. 

Overall, LCPS pass rates remain stable and reflect overall gains in math.

Table 1: Pass Rates for Total LCPS Students

English Learners and students with disabilities enrolled in LCPS passed the SOL tests at about the same rate or higher than similar students across Virginia. Students with disabilities gained 4% in writing while the state remained flat. 

Table 2: Pass Rates for Students with Disabilities and English Learners

To learn more about the LCPS SOL tests, AP testing, graduation rates, and more, visit VDOE School Quality Profiles. 

Accreditation: VDOE reported today that all Loudoun County Public Schools remain accredited for the 2023-24 school year. One school, Park View High School, received accreditation with conditions based on three student engagement indicators, chronic absenteeism, dropout rates, and the College, Career and Civic Readiness Index (CCCRI). Accreditation is based on metrics from the previous school year, including academic achievement as measured by SOL test results, absenteeism, graduation and completion, and dropout rate. 

VDOE waived accreditation ratings for school years 2020-21 and 2021-22 because the cancellation of SOL tests in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic resulted in insufficient data for those years. The accountability ratings for all schools in Virginia can be accessed by visiting the VDOE School Quality Profiles. 

Published September 8, 2023