Fourteen schools within ACPS are anticipated to be fully accredited for the 2018-19 school year — two more than last year.
William Ramsay Elementary School and Francis C. Hammond Middle School both attained full accreditation status. Both were previously accredited with conditions.
T.C. Williams High School is expected to continue to be accredited with conditions this year, with improvements needed in the areas of math, subgroup performance, Graduation Completion Index and dropout rate.
Jefferson-Houston School, an International Baccalaureate (I.B.) World School, will be accredited with conditions, moving out of the Accreditation Denied status of the last several school years. It has shown exponential growth over the past five years but missed the benchmarks within mathematics for achievement levels of black students and students with disabilities. The school met or surpassed all other state benchmarks including English, English subgroup benchmarks, science, and chronic absenteeism. The school offers both an I.B. Primary Years and Middle Years Programme, which encourages students to think independently, drive their own learning, work cooperatively with others and draw connections between what they are learning in the classroom and the real world.
This is good news for our schools and we are pleased with the decision to recognize the high quality of education provided by our schools on the West End. It is important to recognize student growth as a measure of the quality of the education provided by our schools and it is also important to remember that test scores and accreditation are just two ways to measure student success. It is also important to acknowledge the work that remains in front of us as a division and a community,” said Superintendent of Schools Dr. Gregory C. Hutchings, Jr.
This fall, ACPS has compiled data that measures the success of the school division from a 360 perspective. With students from 118 different countries who speak 120 different languages, success looks different for each student we serve. Each year, ACPS serves students who have had no prior formal education, as well as students who make it to Ivy League colleges such as Princeton and Yale. Measuring What Matters — a combined quality profile and update on the ACPS 2020 goals — looks at student successes through a different lens.
This is the first year under the newly revised state requirements around accreditation and graduation. The new Virginia Board of Education (VBOE) accreditation system focuses on student growth with the intention of providing a more comprehensive picture of the quality of each school.
John Adams Elementary School, Charles Barrett Elementary School, Patrick Henry Elementary School, Douglas MacArthur Elementary School, George Mason Elementary School, Matthew Maury Elementary School, James K. Polk Elementary School, Samuel W. Tucker Elementary School, Cora Kelly School for Math, Science and Technology, Lyles-Crouch Traditional Academy, Mount Vernon Community School, William Ramsay Elementary School, Francis C. Hammond Middle School and George Washington Middle School will be fully accredited for the 2018-19 school year.
Ferdinand T. Day Elementary School will not receive an accreditation status until next year. The school only opened on September 4 in time for the start of this school year.
Read more about how ACPS is measuring what matters.
“When I first came here from Afghanistan almost two years ago, it was difficult for me to speak English. I was so happy that there was summer school, after school and Saturday school so that I could come and learn. The teachers work hard to help me. I’m in the International Academy (IA) again this year so that I can work hard on my English and by next year I will leave the IA and take classes at Minnie Howard, like my brother. I also really like AVID because it helps me to be more organized and will help me to graduate from high school and college. I want to become a doctor.” ~ Sumaira Hanifi, eighth-grade student at Francis C. Hammond Middle School
“I really like having choices of electives for what courses we want to take. You have more options than in elementary school and you get to choose. This year, I’m taking Algebra I and honors classes. When things get hard in math sometimes, I talk with my teacher, review my previous work and ask my classmates for help. I also sometimes study with my friends. I like it at Hammond because at school things are organized. Sometimes it’s hard to find that outside of school. It’s easier to study when you have organized notes.” ~ Julia “JJ” DeNunzio, seventh-grade student at Francis C. Hammond Middle School
“Going into my reading SOL in seventh grade, I told my teacher, ‘I’ve got this!’ I knew that I was going to pass the SOL. I worked really hard. I would stay after school to review passages, go over homework and help my classmates using what I learned from my teacher. And, I learned how to study for tests and review my work. This year I’m going to study a lot, pass my SOLs and make my mom happy!” ~ Dylan Bediako, eighth-grade student at Francis C. Hammond Middle School