On Wednesday, Governor Ralph Northam and the State Board of Education announced that 12 Arlington schools were honored with the 2019 Virginia Index of Performance (VIP) awards based upon student achievement and other performance indicators during the 2017-18 school year.
The VIP incentive program recognizes schools and divisions that exceed state and federal accountability standards and achieve excellence goals established by Virginia’s governor and the State Board of Education. This year, Jamestown Elementary is among five schools statewide to earn the top honor, the 2019 Governor’s Award for Academic Excellence, and 11 other Arlington schools earned Excellence and Distinguished Achievement awards.
“I congratulate the students, teachers, principals and staff at each of these schools for their commitment to excellence and achievement,” said Superintendent Dr. Patrick K. Murphy. “This recognition is one of many measures we use to evaluate success, and we look forward to seeing how the state’s program evolves in the future to recognize more schools with an emphasis on academic growth.”
In April 2018, the State Board of Education approved criteria for a new Exemplar School Recognition program to replace the VIP awards. The new program will include awards for high achievement, continuous improvement and innovative practices that are all key elements of the Arlington Public School (APS) 2018-24 Strategic Plan.
2019 Governor’s Award for Educational Excellence
Recipients of the Award for Educational Excellence must meet all state and federal achievement benchmarks, achieve all applicable excellence goals for elementary reading, enrollment in Algebra I by the eighth grade, enrollment in college-level courses, high school graduation, attainment of advanced diplomas, increased attainment of career and industry certifications and, if applicable, participation in the Virginia Preschool Initiative.
- Jamestown Elementary School
2019 Board of Education Excellence Award Recipients
Schools earning the second-highest honor also met all state and federal accountability benchmarks and made significant progress toward goals for increased student achievement and expanded educational opportunities set by the board. APS schools that are recognized include:
- Arlington Science Focus School
- McKinley Elementary School
- Nottingham Elementary School
- Taylor Elementary School
- Williamsburg Middle School
2019 Board of Education Distinguished Achievement Award Recipients
The State Board recognized eight school divisions and 175 schools, which included six schools within APS. These schools met all state and federal benchmarks and made progress toward the goals set by the board. APS schools that are recognized include:
- Arlington Traditional School
- Discovery Elementary School
- Long Branch Elementary School
- Swanson Middle School
- Tuckahoe Elementary Schools
- Yorktown High School
“We are proud of the great work happening in these schools and across APS,” said School Board Chair Reid Goldstein. “We have an excellent school division that demonstrates growth and achievement everywhere because of the outstanding educators who dedicate their time and talents to our students. We look forward to the state’s future focus on innovation and continuous improvement, which align with the Profile of the Virginia Graduate and the goals of the APS 2018-24 Strategic Plan to measure and ensure growth for every student in every school.”
For more information about this recognition program and a full list of all schools awarded, visit the Virginia Department of Education website.
