2023-24 School Year Data Shows Steady Improvement in ACPS Student Performance

Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS) realized steady progress in results from the 2023-24 Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) Virginia School Quality Profiles, including graduation and dropout rates, chronic absenteeism and school accreditation based on Standards of Learning (SOL) assessments.

“The recent data released by VDOE reflect the combined hard work and dedication of our incredible students and staff,” ACPS Superintendent Dr. Melanie Kay-Wyatt said. “I am extremely proud of their efforts and am looking forward to continuing to support our schools in addressing barriers to learning to ensure all students have the access and resources to reach their highest academic potential.”

ACPS on-time graduation and dropout data showed substantial improvements over the prior year overall and across almost all student groups. On-time graduation rates improved to the second highest rate seen in 10 years, the last highest rate in 2021 was achieved with COVID-19 provisions. Compared to last year, the 2024 outcomes improved overall by four percentage points to 87 percent and also improved for most student groups. Dropout rates decreased by four percentage points and saw the largest decreases among EL (-9 percentage points) and economically disadvantaged (-10 percentage points) students.

End-of-year data on key performance indicator outcomes are provided in the updated Equity for All 2025 Dashboard for the 2023-24 school year. In reviewing it, over the last three years, the percentage of ninth grade students on-track to graduate increased by nine percentage points. Most notably, the percentage of English learners on-track to graduate increased from 34% in 2022 to 51% in 2024.

Additionally, results indicate 13 schools within ACPS are fully accredited. Four schools are accredited with conditions, including Naomi L. Brooks Elementary School, Ferdinand T. Day Elementary School, Jefferson-Houston PreK-8 IB School and Alexandria City High School; however, these same four schools realized year-over-year improvements across 16 out of 19 student indicators.

ACPS also made considerable strides in combined pass rate results in English across all schools demonstrating how student growth and overall achievement within the 2023-24 school year led to all schools achieving at or above the highest (VDOE) state accountability standard, Level One designation. Within the Math Academic Achievement indicator, 15 of 17 schools earned the highest designation with the other two schools earning a Level Two designation of near standard or making sufficient improvement. In addition, 16 of 17 schools met Level One designation for Chronic Absenteeism with 10 schools, showing a five-percentage point increase or greater improvement from the previous school year.

“This positive news is the fuel to empower us to continue our journey as one team to address areas of concern in the nine schools that were below the Level One designation in Science and to tackle the disparities in achievement identified across student groups,” said Dr. Kay-Wyatt.

State SOL assessments were given to students in grades three through eight in English Language Arts (Reading/Writing), Math, Science and History/Social Sciences and in high school core subjects assessed by end-of-course exams. Additional information on the VDOE SOL pass rate results are available online.