Newsroom

All YCSD Schools Fully Accredited

The York County School Division has once again earned 100% accreditation status according to data released by the Virginia Department of Education today. This year's school accreditation ratings are based on a revised system for calculating school accreditation which went into effect this year.

The new accountability system measures performance on multiple school-quality indicators, not just on overall student achievement on Standards of Learning tests. Performance on each Indicator will also be rated as performing at one of three levels: Level One (at or above standard), Level Two (near standard or improving) or Level Three (below standard).

Among the revised standards is that student growth, rather than just a strict passing rate calculation, is now considered, as is progress towards English proficiency for English learners. Additionally, to ensure schools are addressing achievement gaps, results in math and English for various demographic groups (such as economically disadvantaged, special education, English learners and by ethnicities) are evaluated. Each group is also expected to meet the 75 percent pass rate in English and 70 percent for math and science.

All five high schools earned Level One status in all indicators this year, while the only school to a Level Two Indicator status at the middle school level was Queens Lake Middle for Achievement Gap in English performance. At the elementary level, eight of ten elementary schools achieved a Level One status for all school quality indicators. Two schools received Level Two ratings: Dare for Achievement Gaps in English and Magruder for Achievement Gaps in English and Math.

"The York County School Division has long recognized the importance of closing the achievement gaps among our student population," said Dr. Stephanie Guy, chief academic officer. "The revised standards of accreditation provide a more comprehensive view of successes and areas of continued focus for our schools."

Schools that received a Level Two status indicator in a student subgroup have completed an initial analysis of student outcomes and are developing their annual School Improvement Plans which will include instructional support plans in the identified improvement areas.

Overall, the division demonstrated growth in reading progress for all student subgroups over the last five years, with double-digit growth among students with disabilities over the same period. The strongest areas of growth were in grade four, where reading performance improved by four percentage points from the previous year, and reading at the middle school level. Middle school reading performance for students with disabilities, economically disadvantaged, and black students improved over the previous year, with all of these subgroups at the highest level of performance since 2012.

"I am proud of the success our students and staff continue to demonstrate," Superintendent Dr. Victor Shandor said. "The York County School Division believes that student success is more than performance on standardized tests. Our focus, in alignment with the division's Strategic Plan and the state's Profile of a Virginia Graduate, is to create opportunities for our students to be prepared for college, career or the military."