RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - Students' academic growth will carry greater weight in evaluating Virginia schools under a new plan the state has submitted for federal approval.
The plan lays out how Virginia will comply with the federal Every Student Succeeds Act. The law signed by President Barack Obama revamps the widely criticized No Child Left Behind Act and gives states more control over schools and education policy.
The plans have to show, among other things, how states will hold schools accountable. State Department of Education officials say a big change is that Virginia's plan uses a metric that includes not just test pass rates but also gives credits to students who showed growth.
The U.S. Department of Education will now review Virginia's plan. It's expected to be implemented in the 2018-2019 school year.
