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Superintendent of Public Instruction Patricia I. Wright is offering three-year waivers from annual state accreditation to eight high-performing schools in three divisions.

The schools qualified for the flexibility by achieving pass rates of 95 percent or higher in all four tested Standards of Learning (SOL) content areas during 2010-2011 and 2011-2012 (results for state tests administered during 2012-2013 won’t be available until later this summer).

“The achievement of the students and teachers in these schools is especially worthy of recognition given the challenging new SOL mathematics tests that were introduced during 2011-2012,” Wright said. “It is the expectation of the Board of Education that students and teachers in these schools will be freed from locally mandated benchmark testing and allowed to explore the content of each subject area in innovative and engaging ways.”

The schools qualifying for accreditation waivers are as follows:

• Charlottesville – Greenbrier Elementary
• Fairfax County – Carson Middle, Haycock Elementary, Thomas Jefferson High for Science and Technology, Westbriar Elementary and Wolftrap Elementary
• Virginia Beach – Kemps Landing Magnet and Old Donation Center

Each school awarded a waiver this year will remain fully accredited through 2015-2016. Division superintendents have until July 1, 2013, to apply for the flexibility.

The five Fairfax County schools and two Virginia Beach schools were among 92 schools granted three-year accreditation waivers last year.

The Board of Education in 2006 authorized waivers from annual accreditation for high-performing schools. Schools granted waivers continue to administer SOL tests and detailed grade-by-grade and subject-by-subject results are reported to parents and the public.

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