Central High stands alone with full accreditation

Published 10:57 am Thursday, November 5, 2015

Only Central High achieved full state accreditation based on last year’s Standards of Learning (SOL) test results.

According to data released on Tuesday, Oct. 27, by the Virginia Department of Education, Lunenburg Middle, Kenbridge Elementary and Victoria Elementary were labeled as being partially accredited based on their pass rate.

“The SOLs for Virginia Public Schools establish minimum expectations for what students should know and be able to do at the end of each grade or course in English, mathematics, science, history and other subjects, said Superintendent of Lunenburg Public Schools Charles M. Berkley, Jr.

“This year’s results indicate we still have opportunities for growth in preparing our students for their future.”

According to the Department of Education, all students must meet certain federal Annual Measurable Objectives (AMOs) in reading and mathematics. Federal accountability also includes three proficiency gap groups and other subgroups.

“Schools have three ways to meet the AMOs: test results from the most recently completed school year, test results based on a three-year average or by reducing the failure rate by 10 percent,” according to the Department of Education. “High schools must also meet the federal graduation indicator for all groups. ‘Proficiency gaps’ report the differences in performance of traditionally underperforming student subgroups as compared with established AMOs.”

Gap groups include: Gap Group one, students with disabilities, English language learners and economically disadvantaged students (unduplicated); Gap Group two, Black Students and Gap Group three, Hispanic students. Gap Group three was not evaluated due to too few students.

According to Berkley, Lunenburg did not meet the Federal Annual Measurable Objectives as a division. He said when it comes to calculating these objectives, if one subgroup is missed then the division automatically assumes the overall status of not meeting all Federal AMOs.

Students at Central High met the AMO targets for all students and in all gap groups in both reading and math based on current year results.

Both elementary schools met all AMO targets in the all students category and in all gap groups in reading and math by reducing the failure rate by at least 10 percent.

Lunenburg Middle met all the AMO targets in the all students category and all gap groups for reading, however, all students and Gap Group two (black students) did not meet the AMO target for math. Group one (students with disabilities) met the AMO in math by reducing the failure rage by at least 10 percent.

“We are proud of the advances our students have made with a steady climb of reaching the goals set by Virginia Department of Education. We feel that Lunenburg is on course to reach those expectations in the near future,” Berkley said.

Last year, all schools in the division were accredited with warning. Of the four schools, none of them met the state benchmark in math. Only Central High and Lunenburg Middle met the state benchmark in English.

No school in the Lunenburg division met all the AMO targets for all students and each Gap Group for Federal accountability last year.