The new system would split school accreditation and accountability into separate evaluations. Schools will continue to earn accreditation based on meeting basic federal and state requirements.
On the other hand, school grades are It is measured in different evaluations. We consider factors such as test scores, graduation rates, chronic absenteeism levels, and college and career readiness. Based on these factors, schools are divided into his four-tier ranking system.This proposal also emphasizes “proficiency level”, that is, the pass rate. There is more than just “growth” in school subjects.
national education The board has not yet finalized what ranking system or scale the new system will use, but board members have said they do not support AF rankings. The proposed plan also must undergo public comment before final approval. However, the move is an important development in the accreditation review that Virginia has undertaken over the past two years.
The new evaluation system will be implemented in the 2025-2026 academic year using 2024-2025 performance data. Under the proposal, schools in the bottom 5 percent would receive intensive resources and support from the state to improve their rankings and performance.
How to evaluate and measure schools has been a debate in education policy for decades.Split About proficiency and growth measures and summative evaluations Others, such as the one proposed in Virginia, have both. In particular, there were disagreements. Supporters say the measure will help parents clearly and transparently communicate the status of schools. But critics say relying on pass rates and overall ratings often singles out schools with high proportions of minority and low-income students and doesn't provide a complete picture of schools.
Under overhaul The state's school accreditation system has been a key goal for Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R), who has led the state Department of Education. in 2022 Build a more “transparent” system. Youngkin criticized the current accreditation system at a time when only a few schools had lost good standing in accreditation. Even though student scores on statewide assessments still fall short of pre-pandemic numbers. Yonkin said the certification results do not indicate any academic difficulty or learning loss due to the coronavirus pandemic.
State-proposed certification system updates Already causing debate among some people Board of Education and other stakeholders. At Thursday's meeting, Ann Holton, the only director on the nine-member board not appointed by Youngkin, said ranking schools could make school discrimination even worse. .
“Labeling some schools as C, D, and F schools incentivizes families and teachers who can afford to leave those schools, and targets students who are most in need, primarily Black and brown. Our students and our most inexperienced teachers will be left behind,” Holton said. “Those schools will be set back even further.”
Other board members pushed back on Holton's assessment, saying that segregation in schools is a problem; A solution could be to talk about which schools are struggling.
“You could call this a blow, but Mr. Holton, respectfully telling the truth is not a blow,” said Andy Rotherham, a previously appointed board member at Youngkin. was named Gov. Mark R. Warner (D) presents it to the board. “It is our duty, and it is a duty that we have neglected for far too long.”
The school board was considering other possible changes to school performance analysis. At the fall meeting, many board members said they were not in favor of a letter grade system.
At Thursday's meeting, representatives from the Virginia School Superintendents Association, Virginia Education Association and Virginia School Boards Association also expressed concerns about the use of summative evaluations. suggestion Assess student proficiency Hot topic More than growth in evaluating schools. They argued that growth rates are a better indicator of how schools are able to teach students at all levels, especially younger students. They are concerned about the potential of the proposed changes. Does not provide a complete picture of school quality.
“Overall scores like star ratings and grades will not provide the level of nuance that parents need to make informed decisions,” Virginia Education Association President James Federman said in public comment. said. “Parents can easily be misled by total scores that are primarily based on proficiency in order to enroll students in schools with high pass rates but low growth rates.”
supporters of Proposal system He said this type of ranking is already done by third-party private groups such as GreatSchools and Niche. Todd Truitt, the parent of her third-grader and her fourth-grader in Arlington Public Schools, is excited to see the state board move toward a system that differentiates schools. He said he was there.
Tuitt, a member of Arlington Parents for Education, said she hopes the new system will make it clearer which schools need the most support and resources.
“Adequate disclosure is paramount to trust in government,” Tuitt said.
