Martinsville City Public Schools students have made significant academic gains over the past five years, with division-wide pass rates increasing 11 percentage points in reading and 35 points in math, according to Standards of Learning results released this week by the Virginia Department of Education.
The gains outpaced statewide improvement during the same period. Virginia students saw pass rates increase by 5 percentage points in reading and 19 points in math since the 2020-21 school year.
Martinsville’s reading pass rate increased from 53 percent in 2020-21 to 64 percent in 2025-26. The division’s math pass rate more than doubled, rising from 30 percent to 65 percent.
Science scores also improved, with the division’s pass rate increasing from 28 percent in 2020-21 to 52 percent in 2025-26, a 24-point gain.
“These results represent five years of tremendous hard work across our division,” said MCPS Superintendent Zebedee Talley. “I am incredibly proud of our students and teachers for continuing to rise to the challenge, and our families for supporting that hard work every step of the way. We still have work to do, but this sustained growth shows us that we’re moving in the right direction together.”
The division also reported gains among several student groups.
Black, Hispanic and economically disadvantaged students, along with English learners, saw reading and math pass rates increase by more than the division average over the five-year period.
In reading, the division’s average gain was 11 percentage points. Gains were 14 points among Black students, 17 points among Hispanic students, 17 points among English learners, and 13 points among economically disadvantaged students.
In math, the division average increased 35 points. Black students saw a 39-point gain, Hispanic students a 41-point gain, English learners a 42-point gain, and economically disadvantaged students a 36-point gain.
“For the past five years, we have been very intentional about strengthening academic supports and using student data to provide targeted instruction based on individual student needs,” said Assistant Superintendent of Instruction Angilee Downing. “It is encouraging to see those investments paying off in sustained growth across multiple subjects and student groups. These results enforce the importance of that work while also helping us identify where we need to continue refining our instruction and providing additional support.”
The latest results follow other measures of progress within the division. Martinsville City Public Schools marked its ninth consecutive year of accreditation during the 2025-26 school year.
Under the VDOE’s new School Performance and Support Framework, Martinsville High School received a “Distinguished” rating, while Martinsville Middle School was rated “On Track.”
“These results give us a lot to celebrate,” Talley said, “and they give us a lot of reasons to be excited about what’s coming next. I always say our students are capable of great things, and we will continue to work together to give them the support and opportunities they need to continue to succeed.”
