Aila Boyd
aboyd@mainstreetnewspapers.com
All six schools in the Salem School Division earned top-tier ratings in the Virginia Department of Education’s new school accountability system, according to results released this week.
Salem High School and South Salem Elementary School received the state’s highest designation, “distinguished,” while Andrew Lewis Middle School, West Salem Elementary School, G.W. Carver Elementary School and East Salem Elementary School were each rated “on track.”
The ratings are part of the Virginia Department of Education’s inaugural School Performance and Support Framework, a new accountability model designed to more clearly communicate school performance to parents and communities.
“The inaugural Student Performance and Support Framework results confirm the great work happening every day in Salem,” Superintendent Curtis Hicks said. “We are extremely proud of the momentum across our entire division, especially when you consider that most of our on track schools have scores approaching distinguished status.”
The framework is the culmination of four years of collaboration, research, planning and investment by the state, with the goal of better identifying where schools and students need additional support while encouraging innovation and excellence.
Hicks said the results reflect consistent strengths across the division.
“Countless variables influence student achievement, but three constants in Salem never change: our outstanding staff, our unwavering commitment to our students, and our collective desire to be the best,” he said. “As with everything we do here, we aim to perform at the highest level, and this new accountability system will serve as a benchmark we will continue to strive toward in the years ahead.”
The Virginia Department of Education evaluates schools using four primary measures: mastery, growth, readiness and graduation. Schools are scored on a 100-point scale, with the “distinguished” designation indicating performance that exceeds state expectations.
