Generally good marks are given to Virginia’s local public school districts when it comes to education and safety.
A statewide survey of local kindergarten through 12th grade public schools, conducted for the Center for Leadership and Media Studies at the University of Mary Washington, also revealed 36 percent of respondents gave their schools an A or a B, while another 29 percent gave their schools a C for adequate.
“This survey shows that those combative voices at school board meetings are not representative of public opinion across the Commonwealth regarding public education,” Stephen J. Farnsworth, professor of political science at UMW and director of UMW’s Center for Leadership and Media Studies, said. “Overall, Virginians remain quite positive about the performance of their schools, both regarding education generally and providing a safe learning environment.”
Ten percent of respondents gave their schools an F, 13 percent gave a D and the rest of respondents were uncertain what grade their school districts earned.
UMW’s Center for Leadership and Media Studies partnered with Research America to poll 1,000 individuals between September 5 and September 11, 2023.