Va. schools decline in No Child Left Behind

Credit: DEAN HOFFMEYER/TIMES-DISPATCH

State education officials say Virginia high schools must improve at graduating students in four years to meet U.S. standards.

By: JEREMY SLAYTON, ZACHARY REID | Times-Dispatch Staff Writers
Published: August 12, 2010

Virginia’s performance on the federal No Child Left Behind benchmarks for the 2009-10 school year dropped dramatically from a year ago.

Nearly four out of 10 schools in the state failed to make adequate yearly progress in reading and mathematics compared to last year, when 29 percent of schools failed to meet those academic indicators. The state as a whole failed to make AYP after making it a year ago.

In June, the state Board of Education voted that at least 80 percent of students must graduate with a standard or advanced diploma within four years for a high school, school division or the state to make AYP.

Only nine percent of school divisions — 12 out of 132 — made AYP compared to 60 last year.

The Virginia Department of Education pointed to two factors, including the new graduation standard. Forty-one high schools and nine school divisions did not make AYP because of this provision.

“These results send a clear message about the importance of graduating more students within four years,” State Superintendent of Public Instruction Patricia I. Wright said in a statement.

To make adequately yearly progress, the pass rate in reading was 81 percent and 79 percent in mathematics on Standard of Learning assessments.

In the metro Richmond area, Hanover, Chesterfield, Henrico, Petersburg and Richmond saw declines in their scores.
   —Hanover: 19 of 23 schools made AYP this year compared to 21 of 23 last year
   —Chesterfield: 36 of 61 made AYP this year, compared to 49 of 63 last year
   —Henrico: 36 of 67 made AYP this year, compared to 52 of 67 last year
   —Richmond: 28 of 45 made AYP this year, compared to 35 of 47 last year
   —Petersburg: 0 of 7 made AYP this year, compared to 4 of 7 last year