The Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) released the 2023-24 school quality profiles, which include data for accreditation, assessments, college and career readiness, federal accountability (ESSA) on Thursday morning.
Accreditation
For the 23-24 school year, Galileo Magnet High School, Forest Hills Elementary School, and Schoolfield Elementary received full accreditation, and all other schools are accredited with conditions. No schools were denied accreditation.
“We are proud of Schoolfield Elementary for achieving accreditation this year and of Galileo and Forest Hills for maintaining their accreditation status,” Superintendent Dr. Angela Hairston said. “Our administrators, teachers, and students are working hard for this achievement, and we celebrate them.”
Assessment Data
At DPS, assessment pass rates continue to show improvement during year two of a three-year academic improvement plan for the division and improvement following the COVID-19 pandemic.
When compared to state averages, Galileo Magnet High and Forest Hills Elementary performed above the state average in every subject.
“We are seeing our schools move in a positive direction, and we are very proud of our administrators, teachers, and so many parents who work very hard to support our students in improvements,” School Board Chair Ty’Quan Graves said. “They spend long hours and go above and beyond to ensure students have bell-to-bell teaching, tutoring, extracurricular activities, and celebrations.”
In spite of changes in the required scores to pass SOL tests at the proficient level, there was a consistent increase in reading, math, science, and writing for the division as a whole. The division has seen incremental improvements in these areas since the 2020-2021 school year, which have included a 7 percentage point increase in English, 8 percentage point increase in math, 4 percentage point increase in writing, and 5 percentage point increase in science.
In addition, DPS is tracking data for students who are not yet SOL tested. Students in grades kindergarten through second grade are assessed on their knowledge of literacy fundamentals, including alphabet recognition, letter sounds, and spelling.
With data from these assessments, the division can tell whether students are reaching their important benchmarks. Since the 20-21 school year, the percentage of students on or above benchmarks in kindergarten and first grade has increased, with 80% of kindergarten students reaching benchmarks in 22-23, along with 72% of first graders.
Across the district, Hairston is encouraged by the literacy data, as reading is fundamental to success in other subjects.
College and Career Readiness
DPS has seen significant gains in advanced program enrollment, as well as Career and Technical Education (CTE) credentials.
The number of students who enrolled in Advanced Placement (AP), Dual Enrollment, and IB has risen to 284 students.
The number of students earning Industry Certification and Workplace Readiness increased by 330 students. In 2022-2023, DPS students earned a total of 643 credentials, with 504 students earning one or more credentials.
“Our focus on improvements and focus on CTE is paying off to ensure our students are workforce ready,” Hairston said.
Chronic Absenteeism
In addition, Hairston says a focus on attendance, in partnership with parents, is necessary, as students do not learn if they are not at school. According to the VDOE, chronic absenteeism is defined as missing ten percent or more of the academic year for any reason, including excused absences, unexcused absences, and suspension. In the 22-23 school year, DPS had more than 1,295 students miss 18 days of school, which equates to approximately one full month of instructional time missed.
Hairston says that this pattern of absenteeism is unacceptable for any community. In fact, DPS data shows that 71% of the students in grades 3-8 who were chronically absent failed the reading SOL assessment, and 81% of the students in grades 3-8 who were chronically absent failed the math SOL assessment.
“Teachers cannot teach an empty seat,” Hairston said.
The division has invested in five social workers, attendance personnel and nurses at each school, second chance transportation for students who miss the bus, and after-school support to assist with attendance, but also needs support of parents in this endeavor.
“We continue to encourage parents to ensure students attend school all day, every day,” Hairston said. “Students who miss time in school are significantly impacted academically and are more likely to drop out. All children deserve every opportunity to read on-grade level, and parental support is key to this.”
Next Steps
To continue growth this school year, DPS will continue its intentional focus on instruction and following data to address the learning loss that occurred during COVID-19. DPS is following a three-year plan, part of the Corrective Action Plan (CAP) with the VDOE, to raise student achievement.
“We have been implementing the essential actions of CAP for the past two years,” Hairston said. “We are constantly tracking student progress, looking at data, and evaluating what works and what doesn’t.”