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Accreditation Information Expected Soon
The preliminary Standards of Learning test results from the 2023-24 school year were released late last month, with area schools’ scores reflecting the general trend upward seen by the state at large. While the state score averages have not yet reached pre-pandemic levels, some of the schools in the Rockbridge area have started to reach that benchmark.
The final Virginia Assessment Results are due to be released in the coming weeks, along with accreditation information. Area superintendents expect all schools to be accredited, with some fully accredited and some accredited with conditions. Score averages will also go up or down, depending on the data regarding growth rates and substitution tests that are to come.
In Rockbridge
Rockbridge County Public Schools saw test scores rise overall compared to last year, although they are still below the state average.
In reading, Rockbridge averaged a 74 pass rate, while the state’s average is 73; last year this was 71 to 73. In writing, the district scored 74 to the state’s 76; last year it was 59 to 65. In math, the district average was 67, compared to the state’s 71; it was 64 to 69 last year. In science, the county’s score was 64, compared to the state’s 68; 66 to 67 last year. And in history, the district scored 60 in comparison to 65 for the state; last year this was 64 to 65.
At Central Elementary, this year’s reading pass rates improved to 73 versus last year’s 68, while math scores improved for the second year in a row, 73 to last year’s 71. Science scores went down, with 65 this year compared to 68 last year, and so did history scores, going from 70 last year to 66 this year.
Fairfield Elementary’s reading scores remained consistent from last year, with a 65 in both years. In math, scores went down, with a 68 compared to last year’s 70. Science scores declined as well, going from 74 last year to 70 this year. History scores saw a steep decline, coming in at 49 this year compared to last year’s 66.
Mountain View Elementary showed an upward trend in all subjects. Reading pass rates this year are 81 compared to last year’s 74; math scores are way up from last year’s 56, with 71 this year; and science scores saw a rise from last year’s 71 to this year’s 75. History scores went up too, from last year’s 67 to this year’s 69.
At Natural Bridge Elementary, reading pass rates went up, from 61 last year to 67 this year. Math scores had a similar rise, with a 57 this year compared with last year’s 52. Science scores increased from 59 last year to 62 this year. History scores, however, dropped by almost half, with a 38 this year compared with last year’s 73.
Maury River Middle School showed only small changes from last year, with reading at 74 compared to last year’s 73, math at 61 compared to last year’s 63, and history remaining constant at 72 both years. Only science showed a significant change, going downward from last year’s 67 to this year’s 61.
Rockbridge County High School test scores are up in every category from last year, with an 83 in reading this year compared to last year’s 81; in math, a 76 this year after a 66 last year; in science, a slight rise from last year’s 66 to this year’s 67; history scores up to 35 from last year’s low of 24; and writing scores up to 74 this year, an improvement from last year’s 69.
The largest changes in county schools were in history at both Natural Bridge Elementary which saw a 48% drop, and Fairfield Elementary, where it dropped 26%. Math scores at Mountain View Elementary saw a 27% increase, and Rockbridge County High School’s history scores saw a 46% increase.
When reached for comment, Tim Martino, assistant superintendent of instruction and administration for Rockbridge County Schools, was very pleased with the results they’ve seen: “The gains are a credit to our teachers, school level administrators, and most importantly, our learners.”
“The extra instructional time outside of the regular school day was extremely beneficial,” said Martino, referring to an expanded schedule that allows students to come in before or after class for “additional direct teaching time with learners.”
Martino brought up the changes in questions that have been made recently. “We will be focusing on the science and engineering questions as they were a new test item this past school year,” he said, although he noted that no subject receives outsized attention. “The goal is always to improve across the board.”
In Lexington
Most of Lexington schools’ test scores declined slightly, on average, compared to last year’s scores. Still, they are generally much higher than state averages.
At the district level, Lexington had a 91 pass rate for reading, the one subject that showed a rise in average scores, compared to the state average of 73. Last year this was 88 to 73. In math, Lexington scored 84, higher than the state’s average of 71; last year it was 87 to 69. In science the pass rate was 85 compared to the state’s 68; last year it was 89 to 67. In history, city schools scored 86 compared to the state’s 65; last year the rate was 90 to 65.
Lexington’s SOL scores by subject were mostly similar to last year’s results.
At Waddell Elementary, this year’s reading score pass rate was 93, up from 91 last year; in math, 92 compared to 90 last year; in science, 94 compared to 92 last year. History was the only subject to decline at Waddell, with 90 compared to last year’s 92.
Lylburn Downing Middle School saw a mixture of results, with some scores declining and some improving from last year’s scores, but all scores still higher than state averages. The reading test pass rate was 92 compared with last year’s 86; in math, a 79 versus 86 last year; in science, an 81 versus 88 last year; and in history, 84 to last year’s 89.
None of the changes in pass rates were very notable in Lexington schools this year. The largest differences in scores from last year to this year were math and science at Lylburn Downing, which both dropped by 8%.
“As a school district, we are very pleased with our overall spring 2024 SOL testing outcomes for students in our Lexington City Schools,” said Superintendent Rebecca Walters in an email to The News-Gazette.
Walters is also pleased with the school division’s efforts to reduce chronic absenteeism, noting that absenteeism rates fell in both schools — from 8.64% last year to 3.87% this year at Lylburn Downing, and from 13.94% last year to 3.02% this year at Waddell Elementary.
She pointed out that Virginia’s Standards of Learning in English, math and distory for K-8 students are changing this year. Despite the division’s high scores and success with absenteeism, staff and faculty will not be resting on their laurels.
“Anytime new standards are implemented in our schools, teachers and school staff are challenged with creating new pacing guides, curriculum plans, and working with new instructional resources,” she said.
“We will be working hard at the school and district levels to provide teachers and staff with the support needed for successful implementation of new curriculum and instructional resources this school year.”
In Buena Vista
Buena Vista Schools’ test score average is up a few points from last year, and is almost even with the state average. Four out of five subjects saw an improvement in test scores this year.
In reading, Buena Vista averaged 75, higher than the state’s average of 73. Last year this was 69 in Buena Vista to 73 for the state. In math, the score was 79, versus the state’s 71; last year it was 75 to 69. Science scores rose to 76 this year against the state’s 68, while last year it was 70 to 67. History scores went up as well, with a score of 65, matching the state average, while last year it was 56 to 65. Writing was the only subject in Buena Vista that went down, with a score of 56 compared with the state’s 76; last year it was 59 compared with 65.
Buena Vista’s individual school results saw a mix of trends, with some significant losses in some subject areas but gains in a majority of subjects.
Enderly Heights Elementary achieved a reading pass rate of 76 this year, a leap from last year’s score of 66. Math scores rose from 67 last year to 72 this year, and science scores rose from 72 last year to 81 this year. History scores saw a decline, from 72 last year to 57 this year.
Kling Elementary, as a K-2 grade school, had no test results.
Parry McCluer Middle School scored 79 in reading this year, compared with a 75 last year. In math, the score was 82 this year, compared with 83 last year. And in history, PMMS achieved a large bump in scores, with a 77 this year compared to last year’s 61.
At Parry McCluer High School, reading scores rose slightly, from 71 last year to 73 this year. Math scores were 87, compared to last year’s 82; in science, 74 to last year’s 70; and in writing, 56 to last year’s 60. The history test results, meanwhile, were reported as “<50,” meaning they may be lower or higher than last year’s score of 45, but without a specific score, it’s difficult to compare.
The largest changes in Buena Vista Schools’ scores were in history at Enderly Heights Elementary, which saw a 21% drop, and in history at Parry McCluer Middle School, which rose by 26%.
“We feel like we’re pretty good right now overall,” said Superintendent Tony Francis in a call with The News-Gazette, although he emphasized that the scores were subject to change as final results roll in later this month.
“Our pass rate will go up, obviously, when you factor in the growth,” Francis said.
He was excited to make note of the fact that Buena Vista’s overall average score is very close to the division’s pre-pandemic average, and could potentially exceed it once the final results are in.
“If you look to the overall pass rate, in 2019, before the pandemic, the [rate] was about 74 percent. And right now we’re at 73.98,” he pointed out.
One of the factors in Buena Vista’s positive testing performance, according to Francis, was the small size of the school division. “You know the students and you have that relationship with them, [and] I think that really helps you hone in. It’s easier to turn that ship around in a smaller division than a larger one.”
Francis is hopeful regarding the incoming accreditation results. “We truly believe all of our schools are going to be fully accredited, based on this information,” he said.
