Mr Williamsburg, Blogging on Life and Real Estate in Williamsburg and Hampton Roads Virginia

If you have children attending school and are thinking of moving to Williamsburg, James City County, York County, New Kent County, Gloucester, Mathews, Isle of Wight, Surry, Poquoson Virginia, schools are usually the first concern. We have been extremely pleased with the education our children are receiving in the James City County Williamsburg School System. Below you will find the latest SOL standardized test results for the other area schools. Another good tool to use when researching schools in advance of moving is www.SchoolMatters.com

What does “accredited” mean?

In Virginia School Accreditation is based on the state of Virginia’s Standards of Learning tests.

Virginia measures a school’s teaching and learning performance with results from state reading, math, science and social studies tests. Students in grades three to eight and high school take the tests annually. At least 70 percent of students must pass the annual tests in all four subjects, with two exceptions: At least 75 percent of third-, fourth- and fifth-graders must pass the reading tests, and 50 percent of third-graders must pass science and history tests.

Virginia Schools receive one of the following ratings:

Fully accredited: Schools met or exceeded the pass rates in reading, math, science and social studies.

Accredited with warning: The school didn’t meet the state’s student achievement targets in one or more subjects. The school must adopt an improvement plan and submit to state reviews.

Conditionally accredited: The school missed the targets in one or more subjects but is taking action to improve achievement by reorganizing, changing programs, using an approved improvement plan and/or showing improvement over previous years. New schools that have absorbed students from other schools also fall in this category.

Accreditation denied: The school has failed to meet the accreditation goals for four consecutive years. The school is subject to corrective action by the state.

The State of Virginia requires at least 70 percent of students in grades three to eight and high school to pass annual reading, math, science and social studies tests. The state has higher expectations for third-, fourth- and fifth-graders: At least 75 percent of them must pass the reading tests.

Schools that miss the accreditation targets receive warnings and are expected to develop and use improvement plans focused on the problem subject.

If schools miss the targets for more than four years, they are denied accreditation. The school divisions must work with the State Board of Education using corrective actions the state board recommends. The divisions might also close the schools, reopen them with new administrators, teachers and curriculum, and follow state recommendations to improve achievement.

Local School Division SOL Test Results in Hampton Roads Virginia 2008

YORK AND POQUOSON VA

All of York’s middle schools had a pass rate of 93 percent or higher in science. All elementary schools posted a pass rate of 93 percent or higher on the third-grade math exam and a pass rate of 95 percent or higher on third-grade history exams.

All Poquoson VA schools again met the state’s accreditation standards. The pass rates for sixth- and seventh-grade math increased significantly — 8 percent and 7 percent, respectively.

The high school geometry pass rate improved dramatically to 94 percent. High school English, math, history and science accreditation ratings are 91 percent or higher.

GLOUCESTER AND MATHEWS VA

ISLE OF WIGHT VA

WILLIAMSBURG- JAMES CITY VA

Filed under: General Area Information Hampton Roads Virginia, Williamsburg/ JCC Schools | Tagged: sol test results williamsburg york county gloucester po |