92-percent of public schools in Virginia are meeting the state’s education standards. That’s according to the Department of Education, which released the annual accreditation ratings Monday.
Across the state there were some shifts in which schools are accredited and which aren’t, but in total almost exactly the same number of schools are accredited this year as last.
“There’s been no real change in the overall percentage of schools that are rated as accredited under this new system,” says Department of Education spokesperson Charles Pyle.
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This is the second year the state has used new standards. Officials say they shift the focus away from test scores and include a closer look at achievement gaps, and absenteeism.
For instance they reveal that while there have been declines in reading scores across the board, the declines have been sharper among certain demographics.
“Children of color. Hispanic students, African-American students, and economically disadvantaged students,” says Pyle.
Schools are making progress in attendance, though. Fewer schools were flagged as suffering from chronic absenteeism, when a student misses 10-percent or more of the school year.
“That’s an important indicator of school quality because children who aren’t in school are obviously not going to do as well as those children who are in school on a regular basis,” says Pyle.
Overall, 7-percent of schools were accredited with conditions, meaning they didn’t fully meet state standards.
This report, provided by Virginia Public Radio, was made possible with support from the Virginia Education Association.
