Returning education to the states is the political hot topic du jour. But it’s one thing to talk about it and another to see state leaders make full use of their reins to drive improvement for students and schools.

Virginia’s approach to bolstering math achievement embodies wholesale reform: expanding access to advanced math courses, raising grade-level standards and expectations on assessments; and equipping educators with high-quality instructional materials and aligned professional learning. 

That work has now been externally validated. An independent review finds that the Commonwealth’s new School Performance and Support Framework is “more effective and useful” than the prior system, better differentiating school performance and avoiding the kind of inflated labels that previously masked real differences among schools. In short, Virginia isn’t just promising honesty and rigor; it is building systems that deliver them.

Below, Chad Aldeman, Dale Chu, and Jocelyn Pickford chime in on what these efforts look like and why they matter.

Chad: Why did Virginia raise math standards and implement a new policy for automatic enrollment in advanced math courses?

Virginia had one of the largest post-COVID achievement score declines in math. According to the Education Recovery Scorecard, math achievement scores slid by almost one full grade level from 2019 to 2024. And yet, many Virginians might not have been aware of the declines thanks to the Commonwealth having one of the largest “Honesty Gaps” among all the states. That is, student scores were declining, but the full depth of the problem was being hidden thanks to inflated state data. 

In response, Virginia policymakers have taken a number of positive steps. The state has raised standards to close the Honesty Gap and created a new, more transparent school rating system (which I helped build). 

New legislation, passed earlier this year, will speed up the delivery of state test results and ensure that Virginia parents see their child’s results within 45 days after they complete a state test. That will be the fastest of anywhere in the country. Another piece of legislation will put those results to use–through its version of an automatic enrollment policy, more Virginia students will have access to advanced math pathways. Collectively, these policies help put Virginia’s math policy on a strong foundation for future gains. 

Dale: How did the state’s commitment to addressing the “honesty gap” lead to changes to the annual assessment? Why does this matter?

Too many students were labeled proficient despite falling well short of grade-level expectations. What distinguishes Virginia’s response is the leadership over the last four years. Closing an honesty gap requires more than affirming high standards; it requires a willingness to make assessments more demanding and to absorb the political discomfort that follows. In Virginia, that commitment translated into meaningful changes to the state assessment itself.

The redesigned exam is now more rigorous, and changes to cut scores are being phased in. The aim isn’t to punish students or schools, but to restore confidence that “proficient” actually means something, especially for parents and families making decisions based on those results.

Unfortunately, a number of states responded to pandemic-era declines by lowering expectations. Virginia chose a harder path. The state’s leaders recognized that clarity is kindness: assessments must be upfront about both strengths and deficiencies if advanced coursework, targeted supports, and accountability systems are going to work as intended.

The durability of Virginia’s approach will now be put to the test. Administrations turn over, and the temptation to soften standards never fully disappears. But Virginia’s recent reforms show what’s possible when candor about academic performance is a non-negotiable. Sustaining that commitment will be essential to rebuilding math achievement at scale.

Jocelyn: How is Virginia supporting teachers and schools so they can meet these higher standards?

Increasing academic expectations necessitates real investments in resources and teacher supports to help students meet the higher bar. In Virginia, leaders have met this challenge head on. Their approach includes both statewide initiatives and support for local actions:

• The Mathematics Instructional Supports page offers a host of practical resources and guides for educators – ranging from curriculum guidance to “Quick Check” formative assessments to instructional plans. A few highlights include: 
  • A “Mathematics Playbook,” with guidance on how to implement the updated math standards and “a focus on establishing a vision for mathematics instruction, critical supports for mathematics instruction, and shifting mindsets.”
  • The Virginia Mathematics Textbook and Instructional Materials Implementation Tool, with implementation guidance for quality curricula.
  • A list of additional approved math instructional materials, making it easier for divisions to identify options aligned with the updated standards.
• Mathematics Innovation Grants help divisions purchase high-quality materials and establish or participate in regional network support structures. This allows them to acquire better materials and collaborate on solving implementation challenges. To fund these grants, VDOE will draw upon the $10M allocated to support math instruction, with applications under review. 
• Mathematics Acceleration Grants to expand teachers’ access to online professional learning focused on advanced math. The goal is to build the capacity needed for more rigorous coursework and the automatic enrollment policy. VDOE was allocated $1M for the grant program; in Summer 2025, seven divisions were awarded grants, and the winners of the second round of grants will be announced imminently. 

Virginia’s wraparound supports for improving math instruction demonstrate a state-supported vision for math excellence – and the details to deliver for students.

Keep an eye on the Collaborative for Student Success’ new initiative, Math That Works, to learn more about math initiatives in the DMV region.