In June, 2012, the U.S. Department of Education granted Virginia waivers from certain requirements of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA), as amended by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB). For detailed information, see Virginia's ESEA Flexibility.

Per the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) flexibility waiver provisions, ten percent of Virginia’s Title I schools (72) are identified as focus schools based on reading and mathematics achievement of students in the three proficiency gap groups. Title I schoolswith one or more proficiency gap groups not meeting performance expectations in reading and mathematics will be considered for inclusion in the focus school category.  Title I schools with one or more proficiency gap groups failing to meet the 95 percent participation rate in reading and/or mathematics will also be considered for inclusion in the focus school category.

• Gap Group 1:  Students with Disabilities, English Language Learners (ELL), and Economically Disadvantaged (unduplicated)
• Gap Group 2:  Black students, not of Hispanic origin, including Students with Disabilities, ELL, and Economically Disadvantaged Students
• Gap Group 3:  Hispanic students, of one or more races, including Students with Disabilities, ELL, and Economically Disadvantaged Students

In June, 2012, the U.S. Department of Education granted Virginia waivers from certain requirements of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA), as amended by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB). For detailed information, see Virginia's ESEA Flexibility. In addition, Frequently Asked Questions About Priority Schools (Word) may provide additional details.

The Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) flexibility waiver provisions specify the identification and exit criteria for identification of schools as priority schools.

VDOE helps historically low-performing schools and school divisions implement effective instructional strategies and best practices to increase student achievement. The department’s nationally-recognized comprehensive support system, known as the Partnership for Achieving Successful Schools (PASS), focuses on building division-level capacity to support schools in need of interventions. In partnering with school divisions, VDOE ensures that each school’s unique needs are addressed through differentiated assistance and interventions.

Report cards for schools, school divisions, and the commonwealth provide information about student achievement, accountability ratings, attendance, program completion, school safety, teacher quality, and other topics. Reports may be viewed and downloaded as PDF files or Microsoft Excel files.

Virginia Board of Education Regulations Establishing Standards for Accrediting Public Schools in Virginia are designed to ensure that an effective educational program is established and maintained in Virginia's public schools. The accreditation standards:

- Provide an essential foundation of educational programs of high quality in all schools for all students.
- Encourage continuous appraisal and improvement of the school program for the purpose of raising student achievement.
- Foster public confidence.
- Assure recognition of Virginia's public schools by other institutions of learning.
- Establish a means of determining the effectiveness of schools.