New Kent County Public Schools expected to be fully accredited

New Kent County Public Schools are expected to be fully accredited as they begin the 2022-23 school year.

Executive director of innovation and management Ross Miller spoke at Monday’s New Kent School Board work session and provided preliminary information regarding accreditation. According to Miller, all four schools are expected to be fully accredited with official information is released next month.

Miller said that accreditation criteria for this past year include academic achievement in English, closing the achievement gap in English, academic achievement in mathematics, closing the achievement gap in mathematics, academic achievement in science, and chronic absenteeism. He added that chronic absenteeism would not be factored into this year’s cycle of accreditation due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

New Kent Elementary School met or exceeded all accreditation criteria established by the Virginia Department of Education. George Watkins Elementary School exceeded all accreditation in five categories and reached near achievement in the English gap area. New Kent Middle School met achievement in four of six categories, with closing the English gap area and chronic absenteeism being near the standard. Finally, New Kent High School reached seven of eight metrics, with improving of chronic absenteeism being the only one that is near the standard. New Kent High School also had to meet standards of graduation rate (over a four-year period) and drop out rate (which was cut in half) as two additional categories to meet accreditation.

Along with accreditation, Standards of Learning (SOL) scores are expected to be released in the forthcoming weeks.