All 81 Virginia Beach public schools are fully accredited and 96.9% of the class of 2026 graduated on time. Yet 36 schools were flagged for extra support.
All 81 schools in Virginia Beach City Public Schools earned full accreditation for the 2026-27 school year. The school division also said 96.9% of the class of 2026 graduated on time, which it called a record level.
The division published the results in two releases this month: accreditation on Oct. 7 and graduation rates on Oct. 13. Both are based on Virginia Department of Education data from the 2025-26 school year.
Graduation and dropout rates
The on-time graduation rate counts students who earned a state-approved diploma within four years of starting high school. The division beat the state average on both measures:
| Class of 2026 | Virginia Beach | Virginia |
|---|---|---|
| On-time graduation rate | 96.9% | 93.5% |
| Dropout rate | 2% | 4.7% |
The division’s on-time rate was 84.2% in 2008, and its dropout rate was 7%, according to the release.
“These strong results are a testament to the work of our incredible educators and support staff,” Superintendent Donald Robertson Jr. said in the release.
Accreditation and the state’s school scores
Virginia now rates schools through its School Performance and Support Framework. It scores achievement, growth, attendance, progress for English learners, advanced coursework in middle school, and graduation and readiness in high school.
The division’s Oct. 7 release said:
- 77 of 81 schools raised their overall framework scores
- 78 of 81 schools, or 96%, reached Meets Expectations or higher
- 47 of those were rated Distinguished, the top level
36 schools flagged for extra support
The same release said 36 schools received a Targeted Support and Improvement designation. At all 36, the group that fell short was students with disabilities. At one school, English learners were also identified.
The designation lowered some schools’ final rating by one level. After those adjustments, 61 schools, or 75%, finished at Meets Expectations or Distinguished.
The state raised the bar for the designation this year, especially for high schools, the division said. Seven Virginia Beach high schools were identified, compared with none last year.
The 36 schools will write multi-year improvement plans and work with the state’s Office of School Improvement. Robertson said the results “show that we must strengthen outcomes for students with disabilities,” and that the work “is already underway.”
The division’s releases did not list which schools were identified.
What it means for you
- Check your school: each school’s framework score and rating is on the state’s Virginia School Quality Profiles site.
- If your child has an IEP and their school was identified, ask the principal what the school’s improvement plan includes. Every school is writing a plan for continuous improvement this year, the division said.
Our Virginia Beach public schools guide has a page for every school in the division, and schools in Virginia Beach covers enrollment and calendars.
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