Williamsburg, James City County , Virginia —An intensive three-day review of WJC Schools earned the division a ranking as a “quality school district.” WJC agreed to the review to gain
accreditation from the AdvancED Southern Association of Colleges &
Schools (SACS)/ Council on Accreditation & School
Improvement, which accredits more than 13,000 school districts
internationally. The process is strictly voluntary since Virginia has its
own accreditation system.
A team of eight educators from school districts across the nation performed the
review. The group interviewed more than 500 people, among them 267 teachers,
parents, community and business representatives, support staff, students administrators
and school board members.
SACS has four accreditation ratings. The ranking earned by WJC is the highest.
The report contains strengths, commendations, challenges and recommendations.
A “committed, collaborative and talented professional staff,” a well-defined
vision for the school division, and open honest communication among stakeholders
as some of WJC’s strengths.
Commendations included implementation of innovative programs to address student
needs and the development of a comprehensive data collection system.
The report recognizes that WJC faces many of the same challenges, like
funding and meeting the standards of No Child Left Behind,
that school divisions across the nation face. It also noted that
WJC has many of its own, including retaining quality teachers, supporting the
needs of transient population and continuing to provide both teachers and students
with up-to-date technological tools.
The review team recommended that WJC begin working on the creation of a
process to secure input from all its stakeholders, including students, and build
working relationships with the retirement comment to tap into that base of knowledge.
Team members also suggested that the division monitor its strategies to close
the achievement gap, but be careful to maintain expectations for all students and
ensure that no subgroup is passed over.
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