Prince William County Public School students met or exceeded the state pass rates on 29 of 34 Virginia Standards of Learning (SOL) Exams administered in 2013-14, according to new data released by the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE). School-specific information is available online from VDOE. The Division eclipsed state results almost across the board in subgroups, with a particularly strong performance among black students.
Math:
The new state findings highlight student improvements in pass rates for mathematics examinations that were made more rigorous in 2011 to require students to demonstrate critical thinking and multi-step problem solving ability. In the most recent tests, students across the commonwealth logged a three-year high of 74 percent passing their grade level or end-of-course math exams; PWCS students did better still with a 77 percent pass rate.
“This is good news” said Deputy Superintendent Rae Darlington. “The state is asking our students to do more to demonstrate their knowledge, and Prince William County students are rising to the task.”
In mathematics, PWCS students made gains on seven of nine tests, and met or eclipsed Virginia pass rates on six of them. Local students bettered state pass rates by as many as eight percentage points. A notable exception in seventh-grade math—five points under the state performance—reflected PWCS efforts to encourage talented seventh-graders to take the eighth-grade course a year early. The resulting eighth-grade pass rate beat the state by that eight-point margin.
Overall, PWCS students also outperformed their statewide schoolmates in the four other SOL content areas (reading, 77 percent; science, 82 percent; history/social science, 86 percent; and writing, 78 percent).
Highlights include:
Reading and Writing:
Science:
History and Social Science:
Pass rates and results will vary significantly across schools, with some outpacing the state by wide margins and others falling short of their goals.
“These tests show us we are making progress and helping students become better prepared for jobs and higher education,” added Darlington. “They also remind us we have more work to do and can always do better.”
Rise in Failing Schools State-wide
Despite the largely positive results for PWCS and schools statewide, SOL scores could also generate a somewhat confusing story when the state releases annual school accreditation information in just a few weeks.
Virginia officials warn that the number of schools falling short of full accreditation may jump sharply this year—possibly to a third of all schools statewide—due to the SOL pass-rate averaging used to determine whether schools reach required levels. A far smaller percentage of PWCS schools will fall short of full accreditation, but the number is likely to rise from last year despite student performance.
The change stems from scores that declined sharply when the state first instituted more rigorous math exams three years ago. Until now, the lower rates were balanced by higher performances that preceded them. This year, that counterbalance is lost and a significant number of schools will be termed “accredited with warning” in a specific area.
“People watching these rankings will need to understand that schools are doing just as well, if not better, we’ve just raised the bar,” adds Darlington. “Test scores are only one measure of what our students and schools are actually accomplishing.”
Understood in context, both pass rates and accreditation information are valuable tools for helping schools improve. Prince William County Public Schools continue to strive for continuous improvement to better prepare students for the careers and opportunities of the future.
Written by Irene Cromer, Community Relations Director for Prince William County Schools
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