A newly released School Management Accountability Report by the Virgin Islands Board of Education outlines persistent challenges in the territory’s public schools, ranging from leadership bottlenecks and overcrowded classrooms to chronically strained counseling services and lagging academic performance. The report includes detailed findings and recommendations, arriving just as Gov. Albert Bryan Jr. heads to Washington, D.C., to discuss education funding and oversight with federal officials.
Titled “Turning the Tide: Reclaiming the Promise in Public Education,” the report paints a stark picture of systemic issues: administrative delays impacting special education referrals, insufficient funding support, overloaded counselors managing caseloads far beyond recommended levels, and standardized test results showing nearly 72% of fourth-graders on St. Thomas-St. John and 59% on St. Croix scored below proficiency in English Language Arts. In math, more than 80% of eighth and 11th graders across both districts also failed to meet standards. Though science scores showed slight improvement — eighth-grade proficiency on St. Croix rose from 27.1% to 37% — the data underscores deep learning gaps.
Against this backdrop, Bryan headed to Washington, D.C. Monday, meeting with officials, including U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon. A key agenda item: advocating for restoring direct control over federal education funds and ending reliance on the current third‑party fiduciary system enforced by the U.S. Education Department.
“We are in D.C. trying to save Education money and get out from under the third‑party fiduciary,” Bryan wrote to the Source in an update. “The national Education Department makes it hard to spend money timely.” He added that he would share “more details on the process, and next steps after the meeting,” once discussions conclude.
The third‑party fiduciary requirement dates back to 2002, when federal officials placed the territory under a compliance agreement due to fiscal mismanagement. Since 2006, and most recently through a contract executed in December 2020 with McConnell & Jones LLC, the U.S. Education Department has mandated that grant funds — such as IDEA Part B and other federal education awards — be managed through an independent agent to ensure compliance with fiscal controls. The additional layer of approval has long been a point of contention for local leaders who say it delays disbursements and stifles efficiency.
In a telegram to federal officials in 2023, Deputy Assistant Secretary Kerry Neal reaffirmed that the territory “must have a third‑party fiduciary agent … to administer all Department grant funds … to ensure fiscal accountability.”
Meanwhile, the Board of Education’s accountability report offers comprehensive recommendations aimed at building internal capacity at all levels. School leaders are urged to take stronger ownership, set clear academic and behavioral goals, and engage families and community stakeholders before the start of the school year. Counselors, who currently serve more than four times the recommended student-to-counselor ratio, should be supported with additional staffing, such as psychologists or social workers, and relieved of non-counseling duties. Academic interventions for struggling readers and mathematicians must start early, with targeted professional development, curricular alignment, and community-based support efforts.
Discipline and behavioral health systems are also flagged. The report highlights the underutilized role of deans of students and the lack of robust data tracking for mental health and disciplinary interventions. Recommendations include empowering these roles, expanding restorative justice practices, and enhancing mental health supports within schools.
Classroom environments, too, require attention. The report warns of overcrowded, poorly lit or noisy rooms reliant on passive teaching methods, calling instead for smaller class sizes — capped at 15 in early grades and 25 in secondary school – more critical thinking-based instruction, and greater consistency in teacher certification and professional support.
Despite its catalog of shortcomings, the report notes positive signs: access to Advanced Placement, Career and Technical Education, and extracurricular programs such as STEM fairs and moot court. However, it stresses these advantages remain uneven and must be more broadly supported and replicated.
The report was officially submitted on June 15, 2025, fulfilling the annual requirement under Virgin Islands law. It closes with a clear directive: systemic reform will require collaboration, not just accountability. “Schools must be equipped and led in a manner that promotes equity, meaningful instruction, and consistent accountability,” it states. The Board calls on the Education Department, the Legislature, educators, unions, and community partners to act together.
