State: Tie graduation rates, accreditation

BY OLYMPIA MEOLA
Media General News Service
Published: October 30, 2008

Now that state educators have the most accurate graduation rates yet, they want to tie that data to school accreditation.

Virginia education officials would create an index to award schools points for each student who receives a diploma or earns a different credential. Schools would have to meet a graduation-rate benchmark, as they do for academics, to receive state accreditation and avoid repercussions.

It’s one of several proposed revisions to the Standards of Accreditation, which members of the public can sound off about tonight at hearings across the state. The Richmond-area session is at 7 p.m. at Highland Springs High School, 15 S. Oak Ave. in Henrico County.

Another significant proposed change would require middle schools to develop and maintain a personal academic and career plan for each seventh- and eighth-grade student. Gov. Timothy M. Kaine requested the plans, which would be reviewed and updated, if necessary, before the student enters ninth- and 11th grade.

“The planning process might also encourage students who are satisfied with minimum effort to reach for higher levels of achievement knowing the economic benefits of postsecondary career pathways,“ he wrote in a letter to Virginia Board of Education President Mark E. Emblidge in December 2007.

The plan would include the student’s education goals and program of study for high school graduation and postsecondary career path based on the student’s interests.

The Virginia Education Association supports the idea but has practical concerns.

“Whoever it falls to, that is additional paperwork, it’s additional time,“ said Betty Lambdin, director of instruction and professional development for VEA. “That is pulling that person or those people away from instruction, and I think we do too much of that anyway.“

Lambdin said the VEA supports linking graduation rates and school accreditation but wants to make sure points are properly assigned in the index. Points would range from 100 for students who graduate in four years or less to 75 for those who earn a General Educational Development diploma to 60 for those who earn a “certificate of program completion.“

A school would need a graduating class with a minimum of 80 percentage points to be fully accredited. If it fails to reach that mark, the school would be provisionally accredited and would need to make a certain degree of progress each year.

“It’s always been about holding schools accountable for the effective instruction of students,“ said Department of Education spokesman Charles Pyle.

“When we just look at test results, we only just get the school on the success of students who are still there. Pass rates don’t speak to the attainment of students who are no longer there to take the test.“

Child advocacy group JustChildren recommends increasing the target from 80 to 90 points, or lowering the points awarded to alternative credentials.

Anyone who can’t make it to the public hearing can comment at .

After reviewing comments, state education department officials may tweak the draft proposal before bringing it before the Board of Education for a vote in January. If approved, the changes would take effect in the 2009-10 school year.

Olympia Meola is a staff writer at the Richmond Times-Dispatch.