Fairfax County Public Schools Accreditation and SOL Data Remain Steady for School Year 2023-24

Update on October 3, 2023: Since the content below was initially published, the Virginia Department of Education State has updated their school profiles to reflect the fact that one FCPS not initially recognized as attaining  "accredited" status has now been recognized in their online system. The content below reflects this update.

All 195 Fairfax County public schools are accredited, one with conditions, for accountability year 2023-24, according to data released by the Virginia Department of Education.

Ninety-nine percent, or 194 out of 195 schools, attained “accredited” status and one school attained “accredited with conditions” status. No Fairfax County public school received a status of “accreditation denied.” For 2023-24, school accreditation designations in Virginia are based on school quality indicators for:

• Academic achievement (English, mathematics, and science)
• Academic achievement gaps (English and mathematics)
• Chronic absenteeism
• Graduation and Completion Index (GCI)
• Dropout rates
• College, Career and Civic Readiness Index (CCCRI)

Both School Accreditation data and Annual Pass Rate data for Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) released simultaneously today, remain steady and in line with state and local post-pandemic data trends. Testing data for 2022-23 remained flat across the state as a whole this past year.

FCPS saw sharp increases post-COVID to help a return toward baseline levels and is on pace with our muli-year recovery effort. Similar to other divisions in the Commonwealth, FCPS assessment growth has leveled off this year. However, FCPS still made faster progress than other divisions across the Commonwealth in its recovery. 

According to research by the Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA), a not-for-profit organization that supports students and educators worldwide by providing assessment solutions, professional learning offerings, and research services, the nation should expect a 3-5 year recovery period. 

The division recognizes that certain student groups were affected more dramatically by the reduction to in-person support during the pandemic, especially students in the Hispanic, Economically Disadvantaged, and English Learner groups. The division, under the new strategic plan for 2023-2030, will expand targeted academic supports to address the needs of each and every one of our students.

“Our new strategic plan has a laser focus on improving student achievement, excellence, equity, and opportunity for each and every student,” says Superintendent Dr. Michelle C. Reid. “Through this lens, we will resolutely maintain high expectations for student achievement, attendance, and conduct as we continue to review and strengthen the effectiveness of our instructional programs and divisionwide infrastructure. With input from our staff, students, families, and our community, we have the power of alignment to build upon our tradition of academic excellence and rigor for each and every student in Fairfax County Public Schools.”

The information released today will serve as baseline data for FCPS to monitor progress from now until 2030. The strategic plan allows FCPS to continue to emphasize the academic growth and excellence that has long been a point of pride for the Fairfax County community. This plan will be FCPS’ North Star for what we must do to bring excellence, equity, and opportunity for each and every student. 

A continuing challenge for schools across FCPS, and the nation, is chronic absenteeism, which is based on the percent of students in a school who miss 10% or more of their enrolled days during an academic school year. As part of this work, FCPS will continue to work with families and students to understand the strong connection between attendance and academic performance. 

Virginia School Quality Profiles offer a listing of overall accreditation status and annual pass rate data by school on the Fairfax County Public Schools division report. Detailed information about individual schools’ data and outcomes for each school quality indicator can be found by selecting a school name from this division listing.  

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 For more information, contact the FCPS Office of Communications at 571-423-1200.