Four Northern Virginia schools have fallen short of federal education standards long enough to be eligible for some of the harshest sanctions under the No Child Left Behind Act, according to the Virginia Department of Education.

Jefferson-Houston Elementary in Alexandria, Randolph Elementary in Arlington County and Dogwood Elementary in Fairfax County all entered or remained in the fourth year of “school improvement status,” a designation that requires a school system to let students transfer to better performing schools, develop alternative governance plans and offer free tutoring.