For the 16th time, Virginia Beach City Public Schools (VBCPS) has been honored with the Best Communities for Music Education designation from The National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) Foundation. Now in its 26th year, the Best Communities for Music Education designation is awarded to districts that demonstrate outstanding achievement for providing music access and education to all students.
Our Strategic Plan
Compass to 2030: Learning Today, Leading Tomorrow
Virginia Beach City Public Schools is committed to helping every student grow, thrive, and lead—today and in the future.
Compass to 2030 is our strategic framework, shaped by community input and shared values. It focuses on:
- Challenging and supporting each student to excel and be future ready
- Enhancing student well-being, resilience, and responsibility
- Valuing and investing in staff
- Partnering with families and the community to support students
- Advancing organizational excellence
At the center is the VBCPS Future-Ready Profile, which describes the skills, habits, and mindsets students will build throughout their PK–12 journey.
Together, we can create schools where every student is ready to learn today and lead tomorrow.
Check out the resources below to learn more about Compass to 2030, how we’re measuring success, and our Future-Ready Profile.
Our Strategic Plan
VBCPS is committed to preparing every child to be future ready with the goal of eliminating achievement and opportunity gaps so that all students maximize their potential.
Measuring Success
Coming Soon!
Our Future-Ready Profile
For Elementary School Students
Preparing All Students to Be Future Ready
LIFELONG LEARNERS
Learn important skills and keep learning their whole life
CRITICAL THINKERS
Ask good questions, look at all the facts, and find the best way to solve problems
RESILIENT INDIVIDUALS
Keep trying, learn from mistakes, and manage emotions
CULTURALLY COMPETENT CITIZENS
Respect and understand people from different backgrounds, and know how to get along with them
RESPONSIBLE LEADERS
Take responsibility for their actions and do good things for their community
COLLABORATIVE COMMUNICATORS
Work well with others by sharing ideas, listening, and solving problems together
LIFELONG LEARNERS
- Build strong reading, writing, and math skills
- Explore many different subjects and ideas
- Set goals and keep learning by trying new things
- Keep learning in and out of school
CRITICAL THINKERS
- Think hard and use all the facts
- Ask good questions to understand more
- Find creative ways to solve problems
- Make smart choices after thinking things through
RESILIENT INDIVIDUALS
- Keep going when things are tough
- Use strategies to stay calm and focused
- Learn from mistakes and use them to grow
- Ask for help when needed and try again
CULTURALLY COMPETENT CITIZENS
- Respect everyone’s culture and background
- Include others, no matter how they look or talk
- Learn about different traditions and holidays
- Use kind words and don’t judge differences
RESPONSIBLE LEADERS
- Help others and set a good example
- Take responsibility for their actions
- Listen to ideas and lead with kindness
- Do what’s right, even when no one is watching
COLLABORATIVE COMMUNICATORS
- Share their ideas and listen to others
- Work together to solve problems
- Make sure everyone gets a turn to talk
- Build on each other’s ideas to make them better
For Middle School Students
Preparing All Students to Be Future Ready
LIFELONG LEARNERS
Keep learning and apply new knowledge to strive for self-improvement
CRITICAL THINKERS
Ask good questions, look at all the facts, and find the best way to solve problems
RESILIENT INDIVIDUALS
Adjust to change by responding productively and managing emotions
CULTURALLY COMPETENT CITIZENS
Respect and understand their own and other cultures, and stay aware of how global issues affect people
RESPONSIBLE LEADERS
Take responsibility for their actions and do good things for their community
COLLABORATIVE COMMUNICATORS
Clearly express ideas, actively listen, consider different viewpoints, and work together to achieve common goals
LIFELONG LEARNERS
- Demonstrate reading, writing, and math skills necessary for success
- Try new things and build knowledge that helps in real life
- Use what they learn to grow their interests and set goals
- Keep learning in and out of school, even when it’s not required
CRITICAL THINKERS
- Ask thoughtful questions and check facts carefully
- Use information and creativity to solve problems in smart ways
- Look at different sides of an issue
- Consider different options and their possible outcomes before deciding
RESILIENT INDIVIDUALS
- Keep going when things get difficult
- Learn from mistakes and bounce back
- Use strategies to stay calm and focused
- Handle change with a growth mindset
CULTURALLY COMPETENT CITIZENS
- Respect people’s differences and beliefs
- Stay aware of what’s happening in the world and how it affects others
- Learn about cultures besides their own
- Include everyone and help others feel valued and supported
RESPONSIBLE LEADERS
- Take responsibility for their actions and their work
- Help others and make a positive difference
- Make decisions that help their group and support their goals
- Do what’s right and can be counted on by others
COLLABORATIVE COMMUNICATORS
- Share their ideas clearly and respectfully
- Work with all kinds of people to solve problems and reach shared goals
- Listen actively and consider others’ perspectives
- Build off others’ ideas to create stronger solutions as a team
For High School Students
Preparing All Students to Be Future Ready
LIFELONG LEARNERS
Keep learning and apply new knowledge to strive for self-improvement
CRITICAL THINKERS
Ask good questions, look at all the facts, and find the best way to solve problems
RESILIENT INDIVIDUALS
Adjust to change by responding productively and managing emotions
CULTURALLY COMPETENT CITIZENS
Respect and understand their own and other cultures, and stay aware of how global issues affect people
RESPONSIBLE LEADERS
Take responsibility for their actions and do good things for their community
COLLABORATIVE COMMUNICATORS
Clearly express ideas, actively listen, consider different viewpoints, and work together to achieve common goals
LIFELONG LEARNERS
- Demonstrate literacy and numeracy skills—including financial and digital literacy— needed for success in school and life
- Apply knowledge across subjects to solve real-world problems
- Use reflection, goal setting, and feedback to improve themselves and pursue personal or professional goals
- Stay curious and keep learning beyond high school
CRITICAL THINKERS
- Solve problems by thinking carefully and logically
- Ask thoughtful questions and verify information before making decisions
- Look at problems from multiple angles to find creative and effective solutions
- Apply learning to turn ideas into action
RESILIENT INDIVIDUALS
- Keep going when things get tough and persevere through adversity
- Face challenges with determination and a positive attitude
- Manage emotions during stressful or challenging times
- Maintain balance and well-being
CULTURALLY COMPETENT CITIZENS
- Understand and respect their own and others’ cultures
- Understand how global and local issues affect people from different cultures
- Value differences and learn from them
- Build relationships with people from different backgrounds
RESPONSIBLE LEADERS
- Take initiative and follow through to make a difference—at school, at home, and in their community
- Own their actions and lead by example
- Learn from their mistakes
- Listen to and include others when making decisions
COLLABORATIVE COMMUNICATORS
- Communicate clearly, listen carefully, and share ideas with others
- Work with others to reach shared goals and solve problems
- Build on each other’s ideas and consider different points of view
- Stay open-minded and work through disagreements as a team
Goals
- Goal 1: Educational Excellence
- Goal 2: Student Well-Being
- Goal 3: Student Ownership Of Learning
- Goal 4: Exemplary, Diversified Workforce
- Goal 5: Mutually Supportive Partnerships
- Goal 6: Organizational Effective And Efficient Operations
Goal 1: Educational Excellence
Educational Excellence
Challenge and support ALL STUDENTS to excel in foundational literacies, core knowledge, and life skills
Challenge and support all students to excel academically by demonstrating the foundational literacies, core knowledge, and transferrable life skills outlined in the VBCPS Graduate Profile.
Equity emphasis:
Identify and address inequities in achievement outcomes by investigating and implementing best practices and seeking innovative solutions.
How we measure success:
All students meeting or exceeding academic standards and demonstrating attributes in the Graduate Profile
Goal 2: Student Well-Being
Student Well-Being
Support the physical and mental health of ALL STUDENTS and strengthen the social-emotional skills they need
Create an inclusive learning environment that supports the physical and mental health of all students and strengthens the social-emotional skills they need to become balanced, resilient learners who are personally and socially responsible.
Equity emphasis:
Engage in culturally responsive practices divisionwide. Identify and address inequities in discipline practices by investigating and implementing best practices and seeking innovative solutions.
How we measure success:
The social, emotional, and physical development of all students
Goal 3: Student Ownership Of Learning
Student Ownership of Learning
ALL STUDENTS make decisions throughout the learning process to help them find their passions and design their future
Engage all students in rigorous, authentic, and student-centered learning to help them identify their passions, take ownership of their learning, and create a plan for pursuing their postsecondary goals.
Equity emphasis:
Identify and address inequities in learning opportunities for students by investigating and implementing best practices and seeking innovative solutions.
How we measure success:
Increased number of engaged students graduating with an actionable plan for the future
Goal 4: Exemplary, Diversified Workforce
An Exemplary, Diversified Workforce
The best place to work where the best people want to work
Foster a positive working climate that values and invests in a high-quality, diversified workforce who exemplify the division’s core values.
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Equity emphasis:
Place a priority on recruiting, retaining, and promoting a workforce representative of our diverse student population.
How we measure success:
The quality, diversity, and satisfaction of our workforce
Goal 5: Mutually Supportive Partnerships
Mutually Supportive Partnerships
Make and build connections to support all students before and after graduation
Cultivate mutually supportive partnerships among families, schools, the division, businesses, military, faith-based, civic and city agencies to support student well-being, enhance real-world learning, and broaden opportunities for career exploration and experience.
Equity emphasis:
Strengthen connections and communication with families and students in most need of additional support.
How we measure success:
Robust and growing relationships that support student learning and promote family empowerment
Goal 6: Organizational Effective And Efficient Operations
Organizational Effectiveness and Efficiency
Effective and efficient use of resources to support the division’s vision, mission, and strategic goals
Pursue the effective and efficient use of division resources, operations, and processes to support the division’s vision, mission, and strategic goals.
Equity emphasis:
Ensure equitable distribution of human, fiscal, and capital resources across the division.
How we measure success:
The efficient and equitable use of division resources