Superintendent presents academic update showing mixed gains, persistent city–county gaps

Superintendent Dr. Keever and WJCC staff presented an academic achievement update during the joint meeting, reporting combined 2024–25 pass rates and outlining strategies to accelerate student learning.

The division reported these combined pass rates for the 2024–25 school year: 78% English reading, 80% English writing (grade 10), 77% math, 77% science and 74% history/social sciences. Presenters said those divisionwide figures place the district above the state average in all five tested subjects.

Division leaders described growth measures under the new Virginia accountability model and said 88% of students in grades 4–8 demonstrated growth in reading; similar growth measures in math and other indicators contributed to internal projections that, while unofficial, showed approximately one distinguished school, 14 “on track” schools and one “off track” school pending official state designations.

Officials discussed changes to testing and graduation pathways. The division noted the state moved from the PALS assessment to VALS for early literacy screenings, and explained a state alternative pathway (LAVC2) that allowed about 1,200 high‑school students to earn verified credit in social studies without taking the SOL; those students were awarded…