Use Letters to Grade Schools, Urges Va. Gov.

Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell is pushing for a letter-grading system to evaluate the quality of the state’s schools, echoing an approach that has been enacted by Republican leaders in other states.

Mr. McDonnell, a Republican, will propose a system in this year’s General Assembly that is similar to Florida and Louisiana, where proponents say report-card-style grades raise accountability and are more easily relatable for parents and school officials.