The board received a review of Virginia's new school performance and accreditation framework and how Dinwiddie County Public Schools fared under the first-year calculations.

Superintendent Doctor Clay explained the framework's components (mastery, growth and readiness), how weights differ by elementary, middle and high school levels, and noted the addition of English-learner progress to the mastery calculations. He said mastery remains anchored in SOL scores while growth and readiness incorporate chronic absenteeism, advanced coursework, graduation rates and a 3E readiness measure (enrollment, enlistment, employment).

Clay highlighted division outcomes: Dinwiddie High School scored 89.2 points (described as "on track" and close to the Distinguished designation), Sunnyside Elementary scored 91.6 points and made a Region 1 leaderboard for reading and math, Dinwiddie Middle School was removed from federal identification, and several schools showed gains in reading, math and science pass rates. He noted Southside reported EL growth from 44% to 73% on WIDA for a subgroup, and chronic-absenteeism rates decreased in six of seven schools.

Clay also explained a state decision: when a school is federally identified under federal accountability indicators, the VDOE chose to lower that school's public performance label by one category; the superintendent said that policy choice affected a few division schools primarily in the area of students with disabilities. He closed with next steps including differentiated supports, continuous improvement plans at schools, targeted professional learning and that the state is phasing in new cut scores over four years and considering adding history to the performance framework.

Board members praised staff for student progress and asked for continued focus on supports for English learners and schools identified as needing additional assistance. A press release summarizing the celebrations was prepared for public release, the superintendent said.

What happens next: schools identified as off-track will receive differentiated supports, principals will refine continuous-improvement plans and the division will monitor any phased state cut-score changes.