Actions

Three Richmond schools granted accreditation status

Posted at 2:05 PM, Jan 20, 2017
and last updated 2017-01-20 14:05:56-05

RICHMOND, Va. — The accreditation ratings of three Richmond schools was revised as a result of edits to 2015-2016 Standards of Learning test records, the Virginia Department of Education said.

The edits, submitted late last year by Richmond Public Schools, affected the level of extra credit — known as “remediation recovery” — awarded to the schools for successful efforts to help students who previously failed SOL tests in reading and mathematics.

As a result of the adjustments, Bellevue Elementary, Patrick Henry School of Science and Arts, and Franklin Military Academy are now rated as Fully Accredited for 2016-2017.

Bellevue and Franklin Military had been rated as Partially Accredited: Approaching Benchmark, and Patrick Henry had been rated as Accreditation Denied.

Legislation passed by the 2016 General Assembly expanded the number of passing tests taken by previously unsuccessful students that can result in the awarding of extra credit toward accreditation. The edits submitted by Richmond corrected the records of 23 test takers to reflect that the students’ performance qualified their schools for remediation recovery points under the 2016 law.

“Changes in the accreditation program can present challenges for school divisions, especially when there is a tight timeline for training and implementation,” Superintendent of Public Instruction Steven R. Staples said. “Given the circumstances, it was appropriate to update these records, especially given that the three schools were all just under the benchmark for full accreditation.”

“I’d like to thank Dr. Staples and VDOE for receiving these mid-year record changes, and I look forward to visiting each of these schools and congratulating the principals, teachers and students for achieving full accreditation,” Richmond Superintendent of Schools Dana T. Bedden said.

School performance report cards for the three schools and other accreditation-related presentations on the Virginia Department of Education website will be updated next week as data are refreshed.

You can read the accreditation ratingsfor all Richmond-area school districts here.

CBS6-News-at-4pm-and-Jennifer-Hudson-480x360.jpg

Entertainment

Watch 'The Jennifer Hudson Show' weekdays at 3 p.m. on CBS 6!

📱 Download CBS 6 News App
The app features breaking news alerts, live video, weather radar, traffic incidents, closings and delays and more.