JJ Moore identified for federal ‘targeted support’; district lays out staffing, coaching and PD plan

Prince George County school officials told the school board on Nov. 12 that federal accountability calculations identified JJ Moore (reported as a 6–8 program) for targeted support and improvement after one or more student groups underperformed over multiple years.

"JJ Moore was identified for targeted support and improvement," said Mr. Klevenstein, the division presenter on federal accountability. He explained that federal ESSA measures use different baselines and interim progress measures than the state's accreditation system and that the federal process focuses on closing achievement gaps for specific student groups.

District staff outlined the root‑cause work and proposed interventions. "We have gone through a needs assessment and determined root cause analysis, and basically we've established... goals," said Mr. Chandler, who described a plan built on a mix of evidence‑based strategies: comprehension‑building practices for English, problem‑solving strategies and manipulatives for math, and a 5E instructional model for science. He said the team is partnering with external consultants (CTLG and former VDOE STEM leaders) for side‑by‑side coaching and classroom‑level supports.

Officials described staffing shortfalls at JJ Moore as a key barrier: two vacant learning‑specialist positions and other hard‑to‑fill content roles. Chandler urged additional incentives for hard‑to‑fill positions, noting current stipends and recommending the board consider increases to help recruitment and retention.

The division also noted schedule and operational changes already made: 15 additional minutes of instructional time per core period started at the beginning of the school year and principals are embedding professional learning communities and walkthrough observations to monitor implementation.

District staff said they would finalize a comprehensive school support plan internally by the end of the week and submit it to the Virginia Department of Education by the 25th (the division committed to turning it in by the 20th to account for the holiday). The plan will include quarterly measurable goals, classroom‑level monitoring, and a mix of professional development, coaching and benchmarks to track progress.

Board members pressed for concrete, ongoing measures to track progress between state tests; staff replied that unit assessments, benchmark data and systematic walkthrough observations will act as the division’s barometer. "Student achievement is our barometer," Chandler said, noting quarterly reviews and more frequent unit checks to show whether interventions are working.

The presentation did not require a board vote. Staff said targeted supports from the Virginia Department of Education would accompany the plan and that the district will return with implementation updates and metrics for board review.