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SB 16

Through-year growth assessment system; alternatives during 2024-2028 school years permitted.

2026 Regular Session Introduced by David Suetterlein

Virginia bill permits school districts to use alternative student growth assessment systems instead of state model through 2028, allowing testing flexibility but potentially creating accountability inconsistencies.

Assigned Education sub: Public Education
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Bill Summary · SB 16

Legislative bill overview

SB 16 permits Virginia school districts to use alternative student growth assessment systems instead of the state's standard through-year growth assessment model during the 2024-2028 school years. The bill allows flexibility in how districts measure and track student academic progress during this five-year period, rather than requiring universal compliance with a single state system.

Why is this important

Student growth assessments directly influence school accountability ratings, teacher evaluations, and funding decisions. Allowing districts to pilot alternatives could reveal whether different measurement approaches better capture student learning in their specific contexts, but it also creates temporary variation in how student progress is measured across the state.

Potential points of contention

  • Accountability standardization: Using different growth models across districts makes state-level comparisons difficult and may obscure whether schools are truly performing equitably
  • Teacher evaluation consistency: Alternative assessments could create disparities in how teacher effectiveness is evaluated depending on which district they work in
  • Implementation costs and burden: Districts may lack resources to develop or implement alternative systems, potentially benefiting only well-funded districts while disadvantaging others

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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