Forty of NPS’ 45 schools showed improvement from 2013 to 2014 in one or more of the areas that determine state accreditation. Eighteen schools had double-digit increases. Norfolk’s primary challenge is to close an “achievement gap” between students who are not economically disadvantaged—districtwide they exceed state standards—and students classified as economically disadvantaged. They make up nearly 67 percent of NPS’ student body, and a variety of factors contribute to their learning needs. NPS remains focused on multiple measures of success, including college and career readiness. Our 2014 grads earned nearly $38 million in scholarships. Striving growing NORFOLK PUBLIC SCHOOLS’ EFFORTS TO IMPROVE STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT ARE DRIVING SIGNIFICANT GAINS, WHILE THE CHALLENGE OF CLOSING ACHIEVEMENT GAPS REMAINS. NPS WILL NOT STOP UNTIL EVERY CHILD EXCEEDS STANDARDS. In Virginia, all 132 school divisions are traveling toward the same destination: full state accreditation based upon Standards of Learning test pass rates and the Graduation and Completion Index for high schools. But not all school divisions have the same factors to consider when planning and undertaking their journeys. Norfolk, for example, at about 33,000 students, is the largest division in the state with 65 percent or more of its children living in economically disadvantaged households. Nationally and across Virginia, such students tend to have lower performance on tests, due to a variety of factors that influence readiness to learn. This is commonly referred to as an “achievement gap.” NPS is focused on adopting proven, research-based characteristics of high-performing districts that defy the norm for economically disadvantaged students. Over the past several years, the Commonwealth of Virginia also has sought a more attractive destination for all students, in the form of more challenging state standards aimed at ensuring that high school graduates are ready for college and careers. Norfolk and other school divisions are adjusting their roadmaps to meet the new state requirements; the Va. Department of Education estimates that one third of Virginia schools will fall short of accreditation this year – a massive increase from prior years. Norfolk’s destination is well documented in School Board and division priorities and the NPS five-year Strategic Plan: All students must meet and exceed state standards, and all schools must earn full state accreditation. The journey, though, cannot be made overnight, or summed up in simple terms like “best” or “worst.” NPS is celebrating many milestones this year: significant improvement districtwide on math and English SOL pass rates, according to preliminary data; an overall increase in the high school Graduation and Completion Index; eight schools with 90 percent or higher in one state-required area; double-digit increases in one or more areas at 18 schools; one school— Granby Elementary—earning full accreditation after being warned last year. NPS will continue striving to speed progress. The division is analyzing dips in history scores at most middle and elementary schools; drops in elementary science; and three schools moving from accredited to accredited with warning. The journey toward educational success for all students continues. STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT FACTS AUGUST 2014 “Norfolk Public Schools, like all other divisions, has multiple areas of success and challenge. We will continue learning from accomplishments and setbacks. We will adopt research-based strategies for closing achievement gaps so that we can raise the floor and the ceiling simultaneously for students, while accelerating the rate at which we raise the floor. We will never lose sight of the fact that we provide generations of children unparalleled opportunities for the future.” - Superintendent Samuel T. King, Ed.D.
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Forty of NPS’ 45 schools showed improvement from 2013 to 2014 in one or more of the areas that determine state accreditation. Eighteen schools had double-digit increases.
Norfolk’s primary challenge is to close an “achievement gap” between students who are not economically disadvantaged—districtwide they exceed state standards—and students classified as economically disadvantaged. They make up nearly 67 percent of NPS’ student body, and a variety of factors contribute to their learning needs.
NPS remains focused on multiple measures of success, including college and career readiness. Our 2014 grads earned nearly $38 million in scholarships. Striving growing NORFOLK PUBLIC SCHOOLS’ EFFORTS TO IMPROVE
STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT ARE DRIVING SIGNIFICANT GAINS,
WHILE THE CHALLENGE OF CLOSING ACHIEVEMENT
GAPS REMAINS. NPS WILL NOT STOP UNTIL EVERY CHILD
EXCEEDS STANDARDS.
In Virginia, all 132 school divisions are traveling toward the same destination: full state accreditation based upon Standards of Learning test pass rates and the Graduation and Completion Index for high schools. But not all school divisions have the same factors to consider when planning and undertaking their journeys. Norfolk, for example, at about 33,000 students, is the largest division in the state with 65 percent or more of its children living in economically disadvantaged households. Nationally and across Virginia, such students tend to have lower performance on tests, due to a variety of factors that influence readiness to learn. This is commonly referred to as an “achievement gap.” NPS is focused on adopting proven, research-based characteristics of high-performing districts that defy the norm for economically disadvantaged students. Over the past several years, the Commonwealth of Virginia also has sought a more attractive destination for all students, in the form of more challenging state standards aimed at ensuring that high school graduates are ready for college and careers. Norfolk and other school divisions are adjusting their roadmaps to meet the new state requirements; the Va.
Department of Education estimates that one third of Virginia schools will fall short of accreditation this year – a massive increase from prior years. Norfolk’s destination is well documented in School Board and division priorities and the NPS five-year Strategic Plan: All students must meet and exceed state standards, and all schools must earn full state accreditation. The journey, though, cannot be made overnight, or summed up in simple terms like “best” or “worst.” NPS is celebrating many milestones this year: significant improvement districtwide on math and English SOL pass rates, according to preliminary data; an overall increase in the high school Graduation and Completion Index; eight schools with 90 percent or higher in one state-required area; double-digit increases in one or more areas at 18 schools; one school—Granby Elementary—earning full accreditation after being warned last year. NPS will continue striving to speed progress. The division is analyzing dips in history scores at most middle and elementary schools; drops in elementary science; and three schools moving from accredited to accredited with warning. The journey toward educational success for all students continues.
STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT FACTS AUGUST 2014
“Norfolk Public Schools, like all other divisions, has
multiple areas of success and challenge. We will
continue learning from accomplishments and
setbacks. We will adopt research-based strategies
for closing achievement gaps so that we can raise
the floor and the ceiling simultaneously for
students, while accelerating the rate at which we
raise the floor. We will never lose sight of the fact
that we provide generations of children
unparalleled opportunities for the future.”
- Superintendent Samuel T. King, Ed.D.
High Schools Booker T. Washington and
Lake Taylor improved their
Graduation & Completion
Indices by 7and 5
percentage points
respectively, resulting in a
districtwide increase.
Non-economically
disadvantaged student
performance was well
above state standards and
grew in math.
Economically
disadvantaged students
were above state standards
in English, and their pass
rates grew in math, however
the achievement gap
remains a challenge.
GROWTH AND
CHALLENGES
Districtwide, NPS had
gains in every end-of-
course content area.
Three of five high schools
had pass rate increases in
at least three subjects.
Maury and Lake Taylor
had 90 percent or above
in two areas measured by
the state, while Norview
had the highest pass rates
in history and science.
Three of five high schools
are expected to be fully
accredited, the same as
last year: Granby, Maury
and Norview.
DRIVING CONTINUED GROWTH
NPS mandatory training for high school teachers and
administrators will include such topics as writing
effective plans and tests, Advanced Placement
teaching, and math instruction that has the level of
rigor expected in Virginia.
NPS is bringing in Eric Jensen, a national expert on
how the brain learns. Jensen will train teachers and
administrators on ”Teaching with Poverty in Mind” -