News Flash

Aug. 22, 2018 - Hampton City Schools officials are projecting that 93 percent of the division’s schools will be accredited this year, based on assessment results released by the Virginia Department of Education.

That would leave just two of the city's 29 schools shy of the benchmark. This marks the third year of strong improvements in academic achievement by the school system and the highest accreditation rate in six years.

In 2015, 12 schools, or 41 percent, earned full accreditation. In 2016, that climbed to 16 schools, or 55 percent. In 2017, 19 schools, or 66 percent. This year, 27 schools, or 93 percent.

“I am confident in the work we are doing in support of teaching and learning. Our comprehensive accreditation plan, which includes a system of differentiated support to schools and an enhanced curriculum, as well as our literacy program that focuses on literacy development from birth to postsecondary, confirms we are moving in the right direction,” Superintendent Jeffery Smith said in the announcement.

The Virginia Board of Education has revised its accreditation standards to provide a more comprehensive view of school quality while encouraging continuous improvement for all schools and placing increased emphasis on closing achievement gaps. The VDOE will release official ratings in September 2018. More information on the state’s accountability system can be located here: http://www.doe.virginia.gov/boe/accreditation/school-accred.pdf.