As one of only 10 school divisions in Virginia that have maintained 100 percent accreditation for more than 10 years, today, the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) announced that all five GCPS schools once again met the state’s accreditation standards.
In 2017, VDOE revised its accreditation standards to measure performance on multiple school-quality indicators, not just overall student achievement on state tests.
Elementary and middle school accreditation is based on:
· Overall proficiency and growth in English reading/writing achievement (including the progress of English learners toward English-language proficiency)
· Overall proficiency and growth in mathematics
· Overall proficiency in science
· English achievement gaps among student groups
· Mathematics achievement gaps among student groups
· Absenteeism
In addition to those standards, high schools are also evaluated on:
· Graduation and completion
· Dropout rate
· College, career and civic readiness
The new accreditation standards took effect with the 2018-19 school year, and the state waived accreditation requirements for the last two years due to the pandemic.
“There are many ways to measure school success; state accreditation is one,” Steve Geyer, Ed.D., GCPS Assistant Superintendent of Instruction, said. “We are proud of our strong track record of high performance, but what’s particularly helpful about Virginia’s current accountability system is the focus on continuous improvement. This matches up well with our school division's longstanding pursuit to ensure every student is thriving every single day.”
“We have talented, dedicated professionals, and we also have amazing students and families. Together, our school community has achieved a great deal over the years – and the sky’s the limit,” Geyer said.