Statewide SOL Scores Decline Again, Only Two Schools Fully Accredited Locally

Published 11:20 am Tuesday, September 23, 2014

The percentage of Virginia schools meeting state accreditation standards declined for a second consecutive year.

The drop is a consequence of the growing impact of more rigorous reading, writing, science, and mathematics Standards of Learning (SOL) tests introduced since 2011, the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) announced last week.

The trend is mirrored in Buckingham, Cumberland, and Prince Edward, where the majority of schools have been accredited with warning.

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In the chart to the left, the schools listed in the green light met all state and federal accountability standards, schools in the yellow light missed either or both state and federal standards and, lastly, schools in the red light were found to be in the bottom 10 percent of performing schools in the state, receiving the designation of either a Title I focus or priority school. Locally, four schools fall into that category.

For a school to earn full accreditation, at least 75 percent of students must pass reading and writing SOL tests, and at least 70 percent must pass state assessments in mathematics, science and history. High schools must also meet a benchmark for graduation and completion, according to the state education department.

According to the VDOE, 68 percent of Virginia’s public schools are rated as fully accredited for 2014-2015. This is a 16 percentage-point drop compared to 2013-2014, and a 25 point decrease from 2012-2013.

“The drop in accreditation came despite statewide improvements in mathematics performance and hundreds of schools that also saw incremental gains in reading, writing and science,” notes a VDOE press release.