What is the status of accreditation for the 2020-2021 school year?
The accreditation rating assigned to all public schools for the 20-21 SY will be accreditation waived. The rating would have been derived from the 2019-2020 SY data, and since public schools were closed on March 13, complete data was not available for use.
Will students take SOL tests during the 2020-2021 school year?
At this time, SOL tests scheduled for the 2020-2021 school year will be administered as scheduled. If the United States Department of Education should offer a waiver for testing required under ESSA for 2020-2021, Virginia will apply.
Since students will enroll in some classes with associated SOL tests for verified credits (graduation requirements) or federal accountability in first semester because of changing to a block schedule, students will take the SOL test during the fall window. Students enrolled in spring semester block classes will test during the spring window. Students enrolled in year-long courses, including grades 3-8, will test in spring as typically done.
3. How will accreditation be determined for the 2021-2022 school year based on data from 2020-2021?
The accreditation label assigned to each public school for 2021-2022 will be "accreditation waived."
The accreditation waiver recognizes that indicators based on data from 2020-2021 may not be an accurate reflection of school quality or improvement. Additionally, schools and divisions are unable to change the public health conditions that impact decision making on instructional modalities as well as data and measurement for school quality indicators, particularly as it relates to student outcomes.
While this waiver is meant to provide some relief to school divisions due to unprecedented and challenging circumstances, this is not a waiver of some of the other related, broader measures of school accountability and quality.