Caroline showed across-the-board improvement on the state-mandated Standards of Learning assessments last year, although its position in the region remains low, according to data released by the Virginia Department of Education last week.
Division-wide, Caroline County Public Schools’ pass rates rose four points in reading, from 68 percent last year to 72 percent this year; three points in writing, from 66 to 69 percent; two points in mathematics, from 67 to 69 percent; and two points in science, from 76 to 78 percent. The division’s pass rate in history and social sciences held steady at 81 percent.
A press release from CCPS noted that the division was “pleased” and that “it is anticipated that the number of fully accredited schools will increase.”
Although VDOE will not release its accreditation list until early fall, at a School Board workshop held before the body’s Aug. 10 meeting, assistant superintendent Rebecca Broaddus told Board members that it was anticipated that Caroline High School, Lewis and Clark Elementary School, and Madison Elementary School would be fully accredited for the 2015–16 school year, and that Caroline Middle School and Bowling Green Elementary School would be accredited with warning.
Accreditation is based on student scores on SOL and benchmark tests from the previous year in the four areas of English, mathematics, history/social science and science.
To be declared fully accredited by VDOE, schools must have a pass rate of 75 percent or higher in English and 70 percent or higher in math, science and history. Since 2009, high schools must also achieve a score of 85 or higher on the state’s Graduation and Completion Index.
Schools with pass rates below those percentages are identified as “accredited with warning” and must adopt corrective measures to bring their scores up. After three years of being declared accredited with warning, schools that still fail to meet the state-identified thresholds are denied accreditation.
For the 2014–15 school year, LCES and CHS were designated as fully accredited, and BGES, MES and CMS were accredited with warning.
Despite improvements in this year, Caroline still lags behind other divisions in the region on SOL scores.
In a comparison with eight surrounding counties—Essex, Hanover, King George, King and Queen, King William, Louisa, Spotsylvania and Stafford—only Essex ranks lower than Caroline in reading, writing, math and science. In history/social sciences, Caroline ranks above both Essex and King and Queen.
Within the region, some of the largest increases can be seen in King and Queen County Public Schools, which report a 13-point rise in their mathematics pass rate and a staggering 16-point rise in their English writing pass rate. (That division also saw a seven-point drop in history.)
Within Caroline, all five schools increased their pass rates in reading, with CHS showing the largest improvement of an eight-point increase from 78 percent in 2013–14 to 86 percent in 2014–15. CHS also increased its scores in writing, history and science, although its math pass rate declined from 78 to 73 percent.
CMS had the poorest showing of division schools, with scores dipping in writing, history and science and holding steady with a pass rate of 58 percent in mathematics.
Among Caroline elementary schools, LCES showed the highest scores in all areas, although its science pass rate dipped from 88 to 86 percent. MES had the next-highest scores, with its math pass rate increasing, its science pass rate decreasing and its history rate holding steady. BGES took up the rear but has the distinction of being the only CCPS school to increase its scores in all areas.