George Mason Elementary Receives Three-Year Waiver from Annual Accreditation

Alexandria, Va. — Virginia Department of Education Superintendent of Public Instruction Patricia I. Wright is offering a three-year waiver from annual accreditation to George Mason Elementary School, one of 101 high-performing schools in 21 divisions to earn the distinction. The schools qualified for the flexibility by achieving pass rates of 95 percent or higher in all four tested Standards of Learning (SOL) content areas for two consecutive years. Each school awarded a waiver will remain fully accredited through 2014-15.

"We're so pleased with the ongoing accomplishments of the George Mason staff and their work on behalf of our children," said Alexandria City Public Schools Superintendent Morton Sherman.

"I congratulate the principals, teachers and students of these schools for performance and achievement that consistently exceeds the commonwealth's accreditation standards," Wright said. "These schools have earned an opportunity to set aside concerns about annual accreditation for three years and lead the way in developing innovative instructional strategies and lesson plans that immerse students in the content of Virginia's rigorous new standards in mathematics, English, science and history and prepare them for success on the corresponding assessments."

The 101 schools qualify for waivers having achieved pass rates in English, mathematics, history/social science and science of 95 percent or greater during 2009-10 and 2010-11 (results for state tests administered during 2011-12 won't be available until later this summer). Seventy-two of the schools are eligible for first-time waivers.

The Board of Education in 2006 authorized waivers from annual accreditation for high-performing schools. Schools granted waivers continue to administer SOL tests, and detailed grade-by-grade and subject-by-subject results are reported to parents and the public.

For more information, contact Virginia Department of Education Director of Communications Charles B. Pyle at 804-371-2420.