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THE BIG IDEA

Virginia eyeing tougher academic standards to close the "honesty gap"

Virginia families have long seen their kids bring home report cards that meet state standards… but national assessments are telling a different story.

So now the state is looking to raise the bar.

Starting next month, Virginia's Board of Education will begin adjusting its thresholds to match the more rigorous standards set by the National Assessment of Educational Progress.

So, what’s driving the change?

Several factors:

• A staggering 40-percentage-point gap between state and national assessment results from 2017-2022

• Gov. Glenn Youngkin's push to "restore excellence in education"

• Concerns that current standards don't provide an "accurate picture of student performance," according to Em Cooper, deputy superintendent of teaching and learning

Plus, the Youngkin administration has frequently pointed to this "honesty gap" as evidence that Virginia needs to level up.

How will this play out?

Well, dear reader, the state's planning committees mostly made up of education experts with some parents and business leaders thrown in the mix. They'll meet this May, make recommendations in June, and the board expects to decide by July.

But don't expect changes overnight — if and when approved, the new standards won't kick in until spring 2026.

Bulletin Board 📌 

Reader Restaurant Recommendation:

Nancy recommends you guys visit Cafe Renaissance — an intimate Parisian dining experience located in Vienna. They’ve been around since 1994, and from the pictures you can tell the vibes are immaculate.

QUICK HITS

• Local realtor Lisa Dubois has gone viral for her ASMR video tours of houses for sale 🎤 

• 6 foot 9’’ NoVA local Nate Ament is currently ranked as the No. 4 high school basketball player in the country 🦒

• Virginia Tech’s new Innovation Campus, located in Alexandria, had its grand opening this morning 🦃 

• How would you feel about an AI-powered podcast version of the newsletter? It’s not perfect, but let us know what you think using the poll at the bottom of this post. We can make it a regular thing! 🤖 

LIVE EVENT LOWDOWN

• 42nd St. Patrick’s Parade | the annual early celebration is back on historic King Street tomorrow 🍀 

• International Food Festival | the ultimate foodie adventure celebrating cuisine from around the globe, this Sunday at the Manassas Museum 😋 

• Books ‘n Brews | Bards Alley Bookshop is doing a book fair for adults on the second floor of Caboose Tavern in Vienna 📚️ 

• Rated S Sketch Comedy | combining poor taste and bad judgement for hilarious results at StageCoach Theatre in Ashburn all through this weekend 🎭️ 

• Mardi Gras at the Wharf | a Mardi Gras parade, live music, and more right on the water at the Wharf in DC tomorrow ⚜️ 

• Snow White | Virginia National Ballet is doing a live production of the animated film tomorrow at Capital One Hall 🪞 

• 6th Annual Barrel Tasting | the Winery at Bull Run is doing an exclusive tasting event starting tonight 🍺 

• Capitals Kids Day | the Capitals game tomorrow is being dedicated to young fans to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the team 🏒 

• Oscars Watch Party | the DC Film Society is doing a massive screening of the Oscars for the 32nd year in a row at the Arlington Cinema N’ Drafthouse 🎥 

• A Night on the Riviera | an evening of magic, music, and more at the French Embassy in DC tomorrow night 🇫🇷 

• Woodlawn Needlework Show | the largest judged needlework show in the country is back for its 62nd year in Alexandria 🪡 

• RacletteFest 2025 | a ski-lodge inspired gourmet experience at Cheestique in Alexandria 🧀 

• DC Big Flea | fine antiques and collectibles from all eras, this weekend at Dulles Expo Center 🛍️ 

• Yoga in the Galleries | Saturday morning yoga in the beautiful galleries of the Museum of Contemporary Art in Arlington 🧘‍♀️ 

• Shucked | Jack O’ Brien from Hairspray’s Tony Award-winning musical comedy is playing this weekend at the National Theatre in Washington DC 🌽 

• Y2K After Dark | DJs, drinks, and vintage board games tonight at Punch Bowl Social in Arlington 🪩 

Thanks so much for reading today’s issue of Just Outside D.C.

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