Virginia Board of Education names HCPS a ‘School Division of Innovation’

Henrico County Public Schools has been recognized for its educational innovation by the Virginia Board of Education as one of 15 school divisions in the state named “School Divisions of Innovation.” The divisions were recognized for “designing and implementing alternatives to traditional instructional practices and school structures” in order to promote learning, readiness for college and careers, and good citizenship.

In announcing HCPS’ designation, the state Board cited two HCPS academic programs that give students a greater role in their education:

• Giving students access to real-time data, as well as “formative feedback” opportunities to promote and measure their knowledge and skills.

• Implementing a plan for HCPS students at all grade levels to create and use “learner portfolios” of their work. The portfolios enable students to track their own progress toward college, careers and citizenship, using the state’s “Profile of a Virginia Graduate” as a guide.

School divisions retain the designation for three years. To earn it, local school boards must submit a plan showing how their divisions met the requirements. Winning school divisions must also submit an annual report to the Virginia Department of Education showing how they are making progress toward the goals described in their plans. The designations were authorized by the General Assembly in 2017. This the first year they have been presented.

“I think it is fair to say that innovation has never been more important in public education than today as schools across the commonwealth and nation focus on improving distance learning in the face of a pandemic, while addressing inequities in opportunities and outcomes,” Daniel Gecker, Virginia Board of Education president, said in a news release. “I congratulate the leaders of all [15] school divisions for creating innovative plans to address the challenges in their schools and engage their students in deeper learning across the curriculum.”

HCPS has implemented a variety of new programs in recent years. In 2017 HCPS adapted the Profile of a Virginia Graduate to create the localized “Henrico Learner Profile.” The Henrico Learner Profile is a common blueprint for the knowledge, skills, attributes and experiences Henrico students should develop during their HCPS career in order to become life-ready. The school division has also emphasized the “deeper learning” academic model that promotes a more active role for students in their education.

For details about the Henrico Learner Profile, visit http://blogs.henrico.k12.va.us/hlp.