Richmond Public Schools Show Mixed Performance on State Report Cards

Richmond Petersburg, VA, October 7, 2026 —

New data from the Virginia Department of Education indicates a varied performance landscape for Richmond Public Schools (RPS). While the division has achieved a notable milestone with six schools exiting the state’s Comprehensive Support and Improvement (CSI) status, a record number for Virginia, other schools within RPS are still navigating significant educational challenges.

The Virginia Department of Education’s latest report card data reveals that the six RPS schools have successfully met the criteria to move beyond CSI designation. This marks a significant accomplishment for the division, as fewer schools statewide are exiting this status. In addition to these gains, nine Richmond Public Schools have been recognized in the ‘Distinguished’ performance category, signifying high levels of achievement.

However, the data also points to ongoing disparities within the school division. The report indicates that while some schools are advancing, others continue to experience considerable difficulties. A key area of concern highlighted by the new data is the significant variation in chronic absenteeism rates across different schools within RPS. Chronic absenteeism, typically defined as missing 10% or more of school days, can have a detrimental impact on student learning and academic outcomes.

Further details regarding the specific schools that exited CSI status or achieved ‘Distinguished’ recognition were not provided in the summary. Information concerning the precise nature of the challenges faced by other schools, beyond chronic absenteeism, was also not detailed. The Virginia Department of Education’s findings underscore the complex and multifaceted nature of educational progress and challenges within a large urban school division.

Story summarized from the original created by Brendan King on www.wtvr.com, see more information here.