“Growth completely masked achievement realities,” Virginia Scope reported, quoting Virginia Superintendent of Public Education Emily Anne Gullickson during a Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission meeting. “That’s limited our ability to really deliver the right support to meet individual students’ needs.”

“We want to make sure that students are making annual progress, that they are moving and that students are getting towards grade level or exceeding the grade level,” Gullickson said. “But growth cannot be more important than ensuring that students are truly prepared on the grade level content and are able to succeed and prosper upon graduation.”