Latest test results reveal 94 percent of PWC schools are accredited

Student test results in English, math, history, and science earned fully accredited status for 85 of 90 (94 percent) of eligible Prince William County Public Schools (PWCS), according to a Sept.13 report from the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE). By comparison, 86 percent of schools across the commonwealth earned full accreditation. All PWCS high schools are fully accredited, and met the high school graduation requirement.

Five PWCS schools earned full accreditation status for 2017-18 based on Standards of Learning (SOL) test results for 2016-17, after being partially accredited last year. The report does not include Covington-Harper Elementary School, which as a new school received automatic conditional accreditation for the year.

“Students in all schools are demonstrating real progress in gaining the skills they need in English, math, history, and science,” Superintendent Steve Walts was quoted as saying in a press release. “We’re very proud of the progress toward full accreditation and committed to using the latest results to make even more improvements where they are needed the most.”

Three elementary schools earned full accreditation following significant improvements. Belmont Elementary School’s impressive improvements put them well on their way to exiting Title I Priority School status. The school’s pass rate in science skyrocketed from 48 percent to 82 percent. Enterprise Elementary School’s accreditation pass rates in science improved from 69 percent to 77 percent, and Chris Yung Elementary School’s pass rate in science improved from 67 percent to 79 percent.