Alexandria City Public Schools Achieves Steady Improvement in Student Progress in 2023-24 Standards of Learning (SOL), Graduation and Dropout Rates and Chronic Absenteeism Data Results
Contact: Jasmine Washington-Price, jasmine.washington-price@acps.k12.va.us or 703-283-5567
ALEXANDRIA, Va. —Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS) begins the 2024-25 school year with positive news from the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE), as it released results this week from the 2023-24 school year including the school accreditation results based on Standards of Learning (SOL) assessments, graduation and dropout rates and chronic absenteeism data. According to reported data available from the VDOE School Quality Profiles, 13 ACPS schools achieved full accreditation, with four schools being accredited with conditions, all four of which saw year-over-year improvements across 16 of the 19 student indicators.
ACPS on-time graduation and dropout data showed substantial improvements over the prior year overall and across almost all student groups. On-time graduation rates improved to the second highest rate seen in 10 years, the last highest rate in 2021 was achieved with COVID-19 provisions. Compared to last year, the 2024 outcomes improved overall by four percentage points to 87 percent and also improved for most student groups. Dropout rates decreased by four percentage points and saw the largest decreases among EL (-9 percentage points) and economically disadvantaged (-10 percentage points) students.
Across all schools, combined SOL pass rate results in English show that student growth and overall achievement within the 2023-24 school year led to all schools achieving the highest performance designation from the VDOE Accreditation System. Within the Math Academic Achievement indicator, 15 of 17 schools earned the highest designation. Improving significantly from past years, 16 of 17 schools met the highest VDOE designation within Chronic Absenteeism with 10 schools showing a five percentage point or greater improvement from the previous school year.
“The recent data released by VDOE reflect the combined hard work and dedication of our incredible students and staff,” said Superintendent Dr. Melanie Kay-Wyatt. “I am extremely proud of their efforts and am looking forward to continuing to support our schools in addressing barriers to learning to ensure all students have the access and resources to reach their highest academic potential.”
The growth shown in data released September 30 by VDOE also matches with SOL Annual Proficiency data previously released by VDOE in August. Highlights from that data release include:
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Over the past three years, the ACPS Annual Proficiency Pass Rates have increased in Math (+6 percentage points), Science (+4 percentage points) and History (+10 percentage points). Reading pass rates have remained stable over the past three years.
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Academic achievement disparities have narrowed in Math across most student groups while Reading has remained stable over the three-year period for most groups.
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ACPS results by student groups showed that performance increased across all of the state accountability student groups in History/Social Sciences and across most student groups in Math when compared to the previous year, narrowing historic gaps in achievement.
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In Reading, Writing and Science, the pass rates for most student groups were within two percentage points of the previous school year, with few exceptions.
State SOL assessments were given to students in grades three through eight in English Language Arts (Reading/Writing), Math, Science and History/Social Sciences and in high school core subjects assessed by end-of-course exams. Additional information on the VDOE SOL pass rate results are available online.
Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS) serves more than 16,000 students who hail from more than 119 countries and speak 121 languages. ACPS has 18 schools, including two middle schools, two K-8 schools, one pre-K school and the internationally recognized Alexandria City High School. ACPS is committed to putting racial equity at the heart of all decisions and ensuring that each and every student succeeds.