RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — The results of Virginia’s 2022-23 school accreditation ratings are in, creating a general picture of how Virginia public schools are faring this school year.

What is accreditation?

Accreditation is based on several standards detailed by the Department of Education, such as test scores, chronic absenteeism, dropout rates and a school’s graduation and completion index. A loss of accreditation can impact a school’s ability to enroll new students or operate altogether.

How many Virginia schools have accreditation?

Of the 1,830 schools considered for the current academic year, 1,628 earned full accreditation. That’s an 89% accreditation rate, as compared with 92% for the 2019-20 academic year, which was the last year the Department of Education calculated school ratings before the coronavirus pandemic.

Although 100% of the public schools in the Commonwealth remained accredited, approximately 10% were accredited with conditions, meaning the schools fell short of state-set standards. In those cases, the school must undergo a review conducted by the Department of Education or under its guidance. The school and overall school division would then develop and implement a corrective action plan as a component of the school’s comprehensive long-range plan.

Three schools in Fairfax County — Bryant High, Fairfax County Adult High and Mountain View High — were marked as needing an alternative accreditation plan.

What stakeholders have to say

The release of these ratings comes just over a month after the Department of Education shared data on Standards of Learning test results for the previous academic year. Test scores for 2021-22 revealed that students in Virginia have yet to recover from the learning lost sustained during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Different stakeholders have interpreted the results of the accreditation ratings, which were released Thursday, in different ways.

These ratings call into question the effectiveness of our accreditation standards in identifying schools where students are struggling to achieve grade-level proficiency. The number and percentage of schools earning accreditation is almost as high as three years ago, despite significant declines in achievement on Standards of Learning tests in reading, math and science — especially among minority and economically disadvantaged students. Accreditation is one of the primary drivers of state interventions and local efforts to improve outcomes for students, and frankly, the school ratings we are releasing today fail to capture the extent of the crisis facing our schools and students.

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jillian Balow

However, Virginia Education Association President Dr. James Fedderman said otherwise:

These ratings show the resilience of our schools, educators, parents and communities in working together as we recover from learning loss brought on from the pandemic, despite the Governor’s continued push to politicize our schools. These results reveal that the updated accreditation system, focused on growth, is working and more accurately measures progress across the Commonwealth. The Governor is now back peddling and desperately trying find something to discredit our schools to advance his privatization agenda, instead of facing the truth that Virginia remains one of the top public education systems in the nation. These results do show that more of our students are in need of additional assistance to reach their potential, and we urge the Governor to direct the state Board of Education and General Assembly to direct their energies into solving these problems, not creating a new evaluation system that rubberstamps his partisan political aims.

Virginia Education Association President Dr. James Fedderman

Locally, Goochland County, Hanover County, Colonial Heights City, Dinwiddie County and Powhatan County are among the public school divisions with full accreditation in every school.

“During the past two school years, our faculty and staff rose to the challenge of supporting and educating our students through an incredibly difficult and unprecedented landscape,” Hanover County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Michael Gill said. “Through years of establishing authentic relationships with our students and families and through unwavering dedication, our team of educators and support staff have built upon our school division’s longstanding Tradition of Excellence. They are heroes and this news reflects that.”

Gill added:

Although we are proud of the achievement of earning full accreditation, we recognize that the impact of the pandemic on our students, families, and staff is undeniable. While we believe our comprehensive instructional plans – both in 2021-22 and in 2020-21 – have been exceptionally strong and well-executed by our staff throughout the pandemic, we are clearly not immune from the realities of unfinished learning. We have important work ahead of us and that is our focus. As we have from the start, we will confront these challenges head-on by continuing to meet each child where they are – academically, socially, physically, and emotionally – and provide the necessary resources and supports to help ensure we meet their unique, complex, and ever-evolving needs. We know this will not happen overnight or in one school year, but we remain steadfast in this life-changing work.

However, local school divisions such as Henrico County, Richmond City, Chesterfield County, Petersburg City and Hopewell City had schools that maintained accreditation, but only with conditions.

I am intensely grateful to Team Chesterfield for this achievement, which reflects the do-whatever-it-takes attitude of our teachers and staff as well as the hard work of our students. Last year was our first full year of in-person instruction since COVID-19, and SOL scores improved. I am proud of what our teachers and students are accomplishing, and we will continue to do what’s best for all kids. There is still work to do as we continue to focus on curriculum and instruction. Our strategic plan will guide our work over the next several years.

Chesterfield County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Merv Daugherty

What Virginia schools are accredited this year?

The list of individual schools that were accredited with conditions revealed another trend. Approximately two-thirds of those schools received Title I funding, which is based on a higher percentage of students needing free or reduced-price meals.

The complete list of schools that were accredited with conditions for the 2022-23 academic year is below:

  • Albemarle County Public Schools
    • Mary Carr Greer Elementary
    • Mountain View Elementary
    • Red Hill Elementary
    • Woodbrook Elementary
  • Alexandria City Public Schools
    • Ferdinand T. Day Elementary
    • William Ramsay Elementary
    • Alexandria City High School
    • Jefferson-Houston PK-8 School
  • Alleghany Highlands Public Schools
    • Alleghany High
  • Amherst County Public Schools
    • Central Elementary
    • Madison Heights Elementary
  • Brunswick County Public Schools
    • Totaro Elementary
    • James S. Russell Middle
  • Buchanan County Public Schools
    • Riverview Elementary/Middle
  • Buckingham County Public Schools
    • Buckingham County Elementary
    • Buckingham County Primary
    • Buckingham County Middle
  • Caroline County Public Schools
    • Bowling Green Elementary
    • Caroline Middle
  • Charles City County Public Schools
    • Charles City County High
  • Charlottesville City Public Schools
    • Clark Elementary
    • Walker Upper Elementary
    • Buford Middle
  • Chesapeake City Public Schools
    • Rena B. Wright Primary
    • Truitt Intermediate
    • Oscar Smith Middle
  • Chesterfield County Public Schools
    • Falling Creek Middle
    • Carver College and Career Academy
  • Danville City Public Schools
    • Edwin A. Gibson Elementary
    • G.L.H. Johnson Elementary
    • Park Avenue Elementary
    • Schoolfield Elementary
    • Woodberry Hills Elementary
    • O. Trent Bonner Middle
    • Westwood Middle
    • George Washington High
  • Essex County Public Schools
    • James H. Cary Intermediate
    • Essex High
  • Fairfax County Public Schools
    • Whitman Middle
    • Justice High
  • Fauquier County Public Schools
    • H.M. Pearson Elementary
  • Franklin City Public Schools
    • S.P. Morton Elementary
  • Franklin County Public Schools
    • Rocky Mount Elementary
  • Frederick County Public Schools
    • Jordan Springs Elementary
    • Redbud Run Elementary
    • Frederick County Middle
  • Fredericksburg City Public Schools
    • Walker-Grant Middle
  • Grayson County Public Schools
    • Fries Elementary
  • Greensville County Public Schools (all schools in this division were accredited with conditions)
    • Belfield Elementary
    • Greensville Elementary
    • Greensville County High
    • Edward W. Wyatt Middle
  • Hampton City Public Schools
    • A.W.E. Bassette Elementary
    • Luther W. Machen Elementary
    • Mary T. Christian Elementary
  • Harrisonburg City Public Schools
    • Waterman Elementary
    • Skyline Middle
  • Henrico County Public Schools
    • Fair Oaks Elementary
    • Glen Lea Elementary
    • Harold Macon Ratcliffe Elementary
    • Highland Springs Elementary
    • Laburnum Elementary
    • Montrose Elementary
    • Brookland Middle
    • Elko Middle
    • Fairfield Middle
    • John Rolfe Middle
    • L. Douglas Wilder Middle
  • Henry County Public Schools
    • Fieldale-Collinsville Middle
  • Hopewell City Public Schools
    • Dupont Elementary
    • Harry E. James Elementary
    • Carter G. Woodson Middle
  • Lancaster County Public Schools
    • Lancaster Middle
  • Lee County Public Schools
    • Lee High
  • Lynchburg City Public Schools
    • Dearington Elementary/Innovation
    • Heritage Elementary
    • Linkhorne Elementary
    • Perrymont Elementary
    • William M. Bass Elementary
    • Linkhorne Middle
    • Sandusky Middle
    • Heritage High
  • Manassas City Public Schools
    • Grace E. Metz Middle
    • Osbourn High
  • Montgomery County Public Schools
    • Shawsville Middle
  • Newport News City Public Schools
    • Carver Elementary
    • Discovery STEM Academy
    • George J. McIntosh Elementary
    • Hidenwood Elementary
    • Joseph H. Saunders Elementary
    • Katherine Johnson Elementary
    • Newsome Park Elementary
    • Oliver C.L. Greenwood Elementary
    • Sedgefield Elementarty
    • Stoney Run Elementary
    • Crittenden Middle
    • Ella J. Fitzgerald Middle
    • Homer L. Hines Middle
    • Huntington Middle
    • Mary Passage Middle
  • Norfolk City Public Schools
    • Chesterfield Elementary
    • Coleman Place Elementary
    • Jacox Elementary
    • James Monroe Elementary
    • Lindenwood Elementary
    • Norview Elementary
    • P.B. Young Sr. Elementary
    • Richard Bowling Elementary
    • St. Helena Elemetary
    • Tanners Creek Elementary
    • Tidewater Park Elementary
    • Azalea Gardens Middle
    • Blair Middle
    • William H. Ruffner Middle
    • Booker T. Washington High
    • Lake Taylor High
    • Lake Taylor (Combined Schools)
    • Southside Stem Academy at Campostella (Combined Schools)
  • Northampton County Public Schools
    • Northampton Middle
  • Nottoway County Public Schools
    • Nottoway Middle
    • Nottoway High
  • Page County Public Schools
    • Luray Elementary
    • Stanley Elementary
    • Page County Middle
  • Petersburg City Public Schools
    • Cool Spring Elementary
    • Lakemont Elementary
    • Pleasants Lane Elementary
    • Walnut Hill Elementary
    • Vernon Johns Middle
  • Portsmouth City Public Schools
    • Brighton Elementary
    • Douglass Park Elementary
    • Waterview Elementary
    • Westhaven Elementary
    • Churchland Middle
    • Cradock Middle
    • William E. Waters Middle
    • I.C. Norcom High
  • Prince Edward County Public Schools
    • Prince Edward County High
    • Prince Edward County Middle (Combined Schools)
  • Prince William County Public Schools
    • John D. Jenkins Elementary
    • Neabsco Elementary
    • Suella G. Ellis Elementary
    • Fred M. Lynn Middle
    • George M. Hampton Middle
    • Potomac Shores Middle
    • Unity Braxton Middle
  • Pulaski County Public Schools
    • Critzer Elementary
    • Pulaski County Middle
  • Richmond City Public Schools
    • Bellevue Elementary
    • Blackwell Elementary
    • Cardinal Elementary
    • Chimborazo Elementary
    • G.H. Reid Elementary
    • George W. Carver Elementary
    • Ginter Park Elementary
    • Henry Marsh III Elementary
    • Miles Jones Elementary
    • Oak Grove/Bellemeade Elementary
    • Overby-Sheppard Elementary
    • Swansboro Elementary
    • Westover Hills Elementary
    • Woodville Elementary
    • Albert Hill Middle
    • Binford Middle
    • Henderson Middle
    • Lucille M. Brown Middle
    • Martin Luther King Jr. Middle
    • River City Middle
    • Thomas C. Boushall Middle
    • Armstrong High
    • George Wythe High
    • Huguenot High
    • John Marshall High
    • Thomas Jefferson High
    • Amelia Street Special Education (Combined Schools)
    • Richmond Alternative (Combined Schools)
  • Roanoke City Public Schools
    • Hurt Park Elementary
  • Shenandoah County Public Schools
    • Peter Muhlenberg Middle
  • Spotsylvania County Public Schools
    • Post Oak Middle
  • Suffolk City Public Schools
    • Booker T. Washington Elementary
    • Elephant’s Fork Elementary
    • Mack Benn Jr. Elementary
    • John F. Kennedy Middle
  • Warren County Public Schools
    • E. Wilson Morrison Elementary
    • Skyline Middle
  • Waynesboro City Public Schools
    • Wenonah Elementary
    • Kate Collins Middle
  • Williamsburg-James City County Public Schools
    • James Blair Middle
  • Winchester City Public Schools
    • Daniel Morgan Middle