Danville Public Schools are no longer under state oversight following improved student achievement and school quality.
The Virginia Board of Education voted in June to release Danville Public Schools, along with two other school divisions, from their memorandums of understanding and corrective action plans with the state.
This was the latest step in the Danville school district’s ongoing work to bounce back from declines in student performance, test scores and accreditation in the 2000s and 2010s.
“We are so thankful that the Virginia Board of Education has recognized our growth and hard work,” Superintendent Angela Hairston said in a June 25 news release. “This achievement did not happen without the tireless efforts of everyone involved, including students, teachers, support staff, school and division leaders and community.”
The school system entered into a corrective action plan with the state Education Department in 2020 after a majority of its schools lost accreditation.
During the 2019-2020 school year, just two out of 11 schools in the district were fully accredited.
The state completed an academic review of Danville schools in 2019 and established a plan that focused on improving academics and student success, operations and support services, human resources leadership and governance.
Accreditation has increased under the state support plan. The 2024-2025 academic year was the first time in a decade that five of Danville’s schools were accredited at the same time.
For the 2025-2026 school year, all of Danville’s schools were fully accredited, and eight of 10 schools met state expectations with “on track” or “distinguished” ratings, according to the division.
The state Education Department revised its accreditation criteria last year, moving away from a heavy emphasis on student performance through the Standards of Learning tests and chronic absenteeism data.
Instead, a new accreditation structure focuses more on student progress and outcomes “to show how schools are doing overall and where they can improve,” according to the Education Department.
The 2025-2026 school year was the first under this new framework, which was approved by the Virginia Board of Education in January 2025.
Schools are now placed in one of four categories: distinguished, on track, off track or needs intensive support. A school can receive a performance score of off track or needs intensive support but still meet the state’s operational standards of accreditation.
Going into the 2025-26 school year, Galileo Magnet High School in Danville had earned the distinguished designation.
Seven schools — Forest Hills Elementary, George Washington High, O.T. Bonner Middle, Park Avenue Elementary, Schoolfield Elementary, Westwood Middle and Woodberry Hills Elementary — were designated as on track.
Arnett Hills Elementary, which opened last fall, will receive its first rating later this summer.
E.A. Gibson Elementary was noted as off track and R.I.S.E. Academy was designated as needing intensive support.
The state Board of Education reviewed school district data, as well as feedback provided through each division’s exit interview at its June 25 meeting. Board members ultimately voted unanimously to release Danville, Greensville County and Prince Edward County schools from their agreements with the state.
“We are thrilled to see these school divisions rising to meet the needs of students,” board President Mashea Ashton said in a statement. “Teachers, leaders, and community members have worked hard to support better outcomes for our students, and we are grateful for their work.”
Some of the division’s “keys to success” for improving student performance have included a division-wide literacy initiative and a focus on high-quality instructional materials, consistent routines for review and updates to division policies, and robust data-review protocols. In addition, the division enhanced human resources leadership, instructional alignment, operations and student attendance, according to the news release.
The school system has also previously implemented additional support for students and teachers around math, science and history and increased focus on attendance, school choice and family engagement initiatives.
“This accomplishment is a testament to what happens when we all work together on behalf of student achievement,” school board Chair Ty’Quan Graves said in a statement. “We had a plan, trusted the process, and now, we’re seeing improved results. The future of our children has changed.”
Last fall, Hairston, the superintendent, also launched a five-year strategic plan that includes a mission statement and five goal areas.
The division’s new mission statement is: “The mission of Danville Public Schools is to inspire, educate, and develop students, in collaboration with families and the community, to ensure students graduate college and/or career ready.”
Its five goal areas are:
- Student proficiency, achievement and acceleration
- Wellness, culture and climate
- Fiscal and operational management
- Family and community partnerships and engagement
- Communication
“While exiting the MOU is an exciting achievement, we know we still have work to do to continue to close the achievement gap,” Hairston said. “Our strategic plan will guide our priorities over the next five years.”
Virginia Superintendent of Public Instruction Jenna Conway also noted that the state will continue to partner with Danville and other school districts to drive ongoing improvement, while celebrating this achievement.
“Led by their local school boards, they have built a strong foundation of academic success that will have a lasting impact for the students and families they serve,” she said in a June 25 news release.
Staff writer Grace Mamon contributed information to this report.
