Recently, the Virginia Department of Education released the results of this past years Standards of Learning tests. Before the scores were even published, the leadership of Alexandria City Public Schools was analyzing the preliminary results and developing strategies to continue the positive growth of our schools. As school leaders, we recognize that the conversation regarding test scores and continuous improvement is rich and complex. 

It should not be reduced to sound bites and generic comments about the decline of our nations schools. Education and the welfare of our communitys children is serious business and deserves the attention of thoughtful educators and community members.

We are proud of our students achievements. We celebrate their successes just as we take responsibility for the significant work that must be done.

Our work as school leaders is to ensure that each and every child who walks through the doors of our schools gets an excellent education. We make no excuses based on poverty, race, gender, special needs, or family status. Simply put, we welcome all students to our schools with the promise that we will do our best to provide them with a quality education.

The reality is that more than 55 percent of our students receive free and reduced-priced lunch, that our population of students whose first language is not English has doubled in the past three years, and that our total student enrollment has increased by nearly 14 percent. This is our reality. It means we have to adjust our work to ensure high levels of achievement for all.

All of our schools have developed programs and strategies designed to improve the academic achievement of all students and reduce the gap among our different subgroups. Although we have had varying success rates, it is clear from the data that significant progress is being made across ACPS. Just a few of the highlights include

Remarkable improvement in the first year of transformation at T.C. Williams High School as evidenced by the following:

Reading scores were the highest ever: 94 percent passed the SOLs.
Writing scores were the highest ever: 93.9 percent passed the SOLs.
Math scores were the highest ever: 83 percent passed the SOLs.
AP participation and test scores were the highest ever.

Matthew Maury and Cora Kelly elementary schools are not only points of pride but also models of success from which we can learn. Maurys math scores improved by more than 13 percent; Cora Kelly had the highest math scores ever of any elementary school, with 97 percent of their students passing state math assessments (no group of students scored less than 94 percent passing).

Algebra I for eighth graders has gone from less than 20 percent participation four years ago to more than 50 percent participation this coming year, with a proud record of more than 95 percent of our students passing state Algebra assessments.

Division-wide math scores continue to increase to a passing rate of 79 percent from 73 percent four years ago.

Division-wide reading scores are at 83 percent, compared with 80 percent four years ago.

These results have been hard-won. Dedicated teachers, administrators, counselors, support staff, central office workers, parents and community members have worked together to help our students improve on these standardized tests. But the scores do not measure all that is good in our schools. Every day, students interact with staff in a positive manner, participate in extracurricular activities, and find comfort, safety and caring faculty in our schools. 

We know we face many challenges: Our elementary reading scores are not moving in the right direction. Special education scores continue to fluctuate in part due to the decreased use of the Virginia Grade Level Alternative as a different form of assessment. Yet, it is clear we have not made the progress we must for our special education students. The doubling enrollment of English Language Learners in the past three years creates a strong imperative to improve programs in this area. Therefore, there will be a strong focus on language acquisition in all our schools.

But there is good news. When we have implemented strategic plans and applied focused resources, we have achieved amazing results. Our responsibility now is to build on what we have learned and accomplished. There is no bottom falling out; progress is being made one student at a time and will continue until the needs of every student are served.

ACPS principals: 
Suzanne Maxey 
Tammy Ignacio
Keisha Boggan 
Jason Sutton 
Gerald Mann 
Linda Whitfield 
Rosalyn Rice-Harris 
Grace Taylor 
Seth Kennard 
Dawn Feltman 
Brandon Davis 
Patricia Zissios 
Deborah Thompson 
Kevin West 
Lucretia Jackson
Tina Radomsky 
Pree-Ann Johnson 
Rosario Casiano 
Rene Paschal
James Wilson