Matt Hurt of CIP returns to discuss how student success is happening in a number of districts across the Commonwealth. Our local districts have much to learn from his examples.
Editor’s Note: FXBG Advance recently published an independent analysis of how Fredericksburg City, as well as Spotsylvania and Stafford county schools. fared on the 2022-2023 SOL exams. The author of that study, Matt Hurt, runs the Comprehensive Instructional Program, which is a consortium of public schools across Virginia that use SOL data to pursue improved academic outcomes. His article showed that Fredericksburg City Schools made considerably more gains than either Spotsylvania or Stafford – both of which showed mostly flat growth.
Readers responded in a number of ways. Some downplayed Fredericksburg’s gains as too little for a district so far behind. Others wondered why Spotsylvania schools hadn’t fallen more, given the leadership chaos in that district.
Last week, Hurt submitted a piece for consideration unrelated to his previous article. This piece does not discuss the three local districts that we cover. However, we have decided to publish it because it details the specific ways schools are making these gains. That information is important for parents, teachers, and administrators in our area.
Tales of Student Success in 2023 – Four Approaches that Work
by Matt Hurt
GUEST WRITER
How well public schools are performing depends upon the scale one examines. For example, examining all Virginia schools’ Standards of Learning tests show the state hasn’t moved the needle from 2022 to 2023 (see Table 1).
There are many contributing factors to the commonwealth’s flat growth. They include, but are not limited to, worsening teacher shortages and continued high rates of chronic absenteeism.
Shift the scale to the district level, however, and there were some notable success stories among Virginia’s 131 public school divisions.
Table 1: Virginia SOL Results for 2022 and 2023
Among Virginia’s public-school divisions from 2022 to 2023, overall SOL pass-rate differences ranged from 8.94% to -9.19%. Oftentimes, it is useful to compare division rankings from one year to the next as relative measures of performance tend to control for a number of factors.
The division that earned the greatest pass-rate rank increase surpassed the performance of 37 other divisions in 2023, while the division with the greatest decrease declined 44 positions.
Table 2 shows the five divisions that realized the greatest gains in both SOL pass rates and SOL pass-rate ranking from 2022 to 2023. All of these divisions, except for Greensville County, are in the Comprehensive Instructional Program (CIP), a consortium of public-school divisions in Virginia working collaboratively to improve student achievement as measured by Virginia’s Standards of Learning assessments.
Because four of the five divisions are part of the CIP consortium, I will focus on these – Galax City, Smyth County, Charlotte County, and Page County – to explain the four approaches that these districts apply to elevate student achievement.
Table 2: Top SOL Pass Rate Improvement Divisions from 2022 and 2023
First – Keep the Main Thing the Main Thing!
In each of these divisions, the top priority was improving student outcomes as measured by SOL test results. This priority drove nearly every decision the districts made, including: distribution of resources, whether or not to implement new initiatives, and personnel decisions. In every teacher or administrator meeting that was conducted, this topic was at the forefront.
While it may seem that this focus is ubiquitous in schools across the Commonwealth, it is not. There are many competing priorities in public schools coming from many different directions, many of which do not positively impact student outcomes.
For example, in recent years topics such as transgender issues and controversial books in schools have taken energy away from student achievement onto these secondary issues.
Organizations can do one or two things very well, or many things less well.
Second – Data Driven
Because student outcomes are the priority, student data drives the efforts of these divisions from the central office down to each classroom.
Schools and teachers are identified for additional support based on student outcomes, and resources are allocated accordingly. Division comprehensive plans are written around student outcomes, and these outcomes are tracked throughout the year, as well as from year-to-year to ensure progress is being made.
Division and school leaders reach out to other more-successful peers to learn what they’re doing that helps their kids, so they in turn can apply these lessons in their own schools and divisions.
Teachers track student performance throughout the year and apply interventions immediately when students demonstrate the need. Groups of teachers review their data collectively in PLCs (professional learning communities) to learn from each other what is working and what is not.
Third – Expectations
Nearly every educator in Virginia would tell you that they have high expectations if given the choice among high, medium, and low expectations. However, it is not reasonable to believe that all of our expectations are the same.
Conventional wisdom holds that those who expect more get more, and those who expect less get less. This is also true in public education. It has been demonstrated through the relationship of student grades and SOL proficiencies that expectations matter. Expectations matter a lot.
The leaders and teachers of the divisions discussed in this article have increased their expectations, which helped to produce their outcomes last year. Their expectations are measurable and are aligned with improved student SOL outcomes.
These expectations are conveyed through a variety of means, including the analysis of student final grades and SOL proficiencies, writing SOL pass rates into teacher and administrator evaluation goals, as well as cultivating cultures of high expectations that are a basis of the school community.
Fourth – Support People Not Programs
The leaders in these four divisions realize that their conduit to success is their students, teachers, and parents.
Rather than implementing programs, they invest time and attention in their people and make sure the needs of their people are met. The administrators and teachers truly exhibit servant-leadership.
For example, not all students come to school with pencils for a variety of reasons. Rather than fussing at the student, they provide the student a pencil. Not all teachers come fresh out of college with the expertise to ensure the success of their students. Administrators in these divisions spend the school day helping teachers and spend their evenings and weekends doing their administrative work.
Wrapping Up
improvements in student outcomes as demonstrated above does not happen by chance.
The educators in these divisions believe that their students can be successful, and they believe it is their duty to ensure that success. Through laser-like focus, reliance on data, maintaining high expectations, and supporting their people, they make it happen. Odds & Ends at FXBGAdvance.com
Adele Uphaus Joins FXBG Advance as Managing Editor and Correspondent
by Martin Davis
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Beginning November 1, Adele joins the FXBG Advance as both Managing Editor and Correspondent. Here’s what that means to you, our readers.
Regular Hard News Stories – Monday through Friday, Adele will be posting hard-news stories about local government, education, and other matters of import to you.
More Newsletters – Once Adele is settled into her role, we will begin distributing two editions of the FXBG Advance each day. The 6 am edition that you have grown accustomed to, and an afternoon edition that will feature a variety of short pieces about goings-on in and around the Greater Fredericksburg region.
More Writers – One task that Adele will assume is beginning to grow the list of freelance writers, or “stringers,” that we will look to to expand our news offerings.
More News – Adele’s arrival frees me up to spend more time getting back to my roots as a reporter. Between Adele and I, we will be covering City Council, the Boards of Supervisors, and the School Boards like a glove.
A new voice on the New Dominion Podcast – In addition, expect Adele to be a regular voice on the podcast that has become a popular waypoint for leaders and people doing great things in our region.
What won’t change is our commitment to continue delivering the hard-hitting analysis and commentary that you have come to appreciate and demand.
Shaun Kenney’s popular Tuesday opinion column will continue to drive discussion in our region.
My own analysis pieces and occasional opinion pieces will also continue.
Our Books & Culture section each Sunday, now under the direction of Vanessa Sekinger, will continue to shine a spotlight on popular reads, deep tomes, and the many talented local writers who are part of our region.
Saturday’s calendar of upcoming government meetings, and stories of interest to families in our region.
We are honored to have Adele join our team, and we are excited about the plans being laid for the future.
Odds and Ends at FXBGAdvance.com
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-Martin Davis, Editor
