NEWS RELEASE
(ALBEMARLE COUNTY, Virginia)—Six schools within Albemarle County Public Schools (ACPS) have been recognized with the Virginia Board of Education’s prestigious Highest Achievement Award for the 2024-25 academic year. This recognition, awarded to just 92 schools across the state, highlights outstanding academic performance and achievement based on the 2023-24 school year data.
The following ACPS schools earned the Highest Achievement Award, signifying that the Board of Education recognizes their commitment to academic excellence and equity for all students:
- Broadus Wood Elementary School
- Community Lab School
- Hollymead Elementary School
- Ivy Elementary School
- Stony Point Elementary School
- Virginia L. Murray Elementary School
To qualify for this top honor, schools must meet a series of rigorous criteria, including:
- Accreditation: Schools must be fully accredited or hold triennial waivers.
- Core Subject Benchmarks: Schools must achieve state benchmarks of 75% for reading and 70% for both math and science, determined by current year pass rates on state assessments, excluding growth or English Learner progress.
- Student Group Performance: All student groups within the school must meet the same benchmarks (75% for reading and 70% for math) based on current year pass rates. For schools with two student groups, there must be no more than a five percentage point gap between the lowest performing group and all other students. For schools with three or more student groups, this gap must not exceed 10 percentage points.
- Chronic Absenteeism: Schools must demonstrate a chronic absenteeism rate of 15% or lower.
For schools with graduating classes, two additional criteria apply:
- Graduation and Completion Index (GCI): Schools must achieve a GCI of 88 points or higher for the current year.
- Dropout Rate: Schools must maintain a dropout rate of 6% or lower.
“This award reflects the exceptional efforts by our teachers, students, educational support staff, and families at these six schools,” said Matthew Haas, Superintendent of Schools. “It is an honor to be recognized for the hard work and commitment to providing a high-quality, equitable education to all of our students, underscoring the division’s dedication to academic excellence.”
These awards are a significant milestone for schools, as they are indicators of an ongoing commitment to preparing students for success in a global society while ensuring that achievement gaps are minimized and every student has the opportunity to excel.
For more information on the Highest Achievement Award and the schools recognized, please see the Virginia Board of Education’s Report on Schools Recognized for Exemplar Performance as Required by the Regulations Establishing Standards for Accrediting Public Schools in Virginia.
CONTACT: Helen Dunn, Public Affairs and Strategic Communications Officer
PHONE: 434-249-8379