Virginia Beach City Public Schools Are Charting the Course
Sponsored by: Virginia Beach City Public Schools
Top-notch education, community and family involvement, and an employer of choice: You’ll find that – and more – within the Virginia Beach City Public Schools (VBCPS) division.
“We’re a well-performing, highly supported school division with expectations that leverage success,” says Donald Robertson, Ph.D., superintendent of VBCPS. “We have great community partners and parent involvement that strengthen our schools.”
Comprising 85 schools, VBCPS is the largest division in the Hampton Roads area. Roberston has spent his career within the division and says that over the decades, VBCPS has been purposeful about building family engagement into its strategic framework for growth, which focuses on giving students the support they need.
“Family engagement is one of five main goals in our strategic framework,” says Robertson.
To support that goal, VBCPS implements strategies like making sure all students and families have open, accessible communication channels in their preferred languages; matching community needs with support services to make informed decisions; developing a calendar of family engagement events; partnering with local businesses and focusing on inclusivity; and addressing any barriers that exist for involvement.
In the last 15 years, the graduation rate has increased every year, and the dropout rate has decreased. In 2025, the graduation rate was 96.5%.
“We spend a lot of time developing relationships with our students so we can help them get to the finish line,” Robertson says. “We also serve a large number of students eligible for free or reduced lunch – a factor often linked to lower academic performance. Yet, our academic results show otherwise, so we’re dispelling that myth.”
Robertson adds that to achieve academic excellence, providing a great workplace for teachers and staff is essential.
“The resources we provide teachers are second to none in terms of support,” he says. “You’re never alone. We work hard to make sure our staff don’t work in silos, and we spend a lot of time talking about continuous improvement. A strong staff is important for strong students.”
Learn more about how Virginia Beach City Public Schools division is charting the course for Hampton Roads students and staff at vbschools.com.
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