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Fifty-nine of Henrico County's 67 public schools have earned full accreditation from the Virginia Department of Education – one fewer than last year. The agency today released its accreditation ratings for schools statewide.
In Henrico, six of the seven schools that received "accredited with conditions" ratings last year – Brookland, Elko, Fairfield, Rolfe and Wilder middle schools and Glen Lea Elementary School – received the same rating again this year. Ratcliffe Elementary, which had been accredited with conditions last year, is now fully accredited. Highland Springs and Laburnum Elementary, which were fully accredited last year, are now accredited with conditions.
Accreditation ratings are based upon schools' performances on the state's Standards of Learning test results from the previous school year.
Elementary and middle schools are evaluated on six indicators, according to the VDOE:
• Overall proficiency and growth in English reading/writing achievement (including 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.
High schools are evaluated on nine indicators:
• Overall proficiency in English reading/ writing and progress of English learners toward English-language proficiency;
• Overall proficiency in mathematics;
• Overall proficiency in science;
• English achievement gaps among student groups;
• Mathematics achievement gaps among student groups;
• Graduation and completion;
• Dropout rate;
• Absenteeism;
• College, career and civic readiness.
Each school receives a Level One, Level Two or Level Three rating in all applicable categories. Those whose scores are all Level One or Two earn full accreditation. Those with one or more Level Three scores are accredited with conditions. Those that have failed to adopt or fully implement required corrective actions to address Level Three indicators are denied accreditation.
A change to the accreditation system implemented last year simplified the system, reducing from nine possible accreditation ratings to just those three. The resulting system means that fewer schools are denied accreditation.
