News Release
For Immediate Release: May 11, 2017
Contact: Charles B. Pyle, Director of Communications, 804-371-2420
Julie C. Grimes, Communications Manager, 804-225-2543
School Quality Profiles Garner RVATech Award
RICHMOND, Va. – The Richmond Technology Council – also known as RVATech – presented its public sector “Innovation in Utilization” award to the Virginia Department of Education last night for the commonwealth’s School Quality Profile reports (www.schoolquality.virginia.gov
). The annual award recognizes the creative use of existing technology to enhance processes, methodologies and/or services for the benefit of an organization or the public.
School Quality Profiles are interactive report cards for schools and school divisions that were made available to the public last October. VDOE developed the online reports in response to the General Assembly, which directed the state Board of Education in 2015 to redesign Virginia’s 15-year-old school report cards to more effectively communicate about the status and achievements of Virginia’s public schools.
“I thank the members of the Richmond Technology Council for recognizing the department’s efforts to improve how we communicate with parents and the broader public about student achievement and school quality,” Superintendent of Public Instruction Steven R. Staples said. “I also congratulate the department’s communications and information management staff for their hard work and collaboration on this project.”
School Quality Profiles include Interactive pie and bar charts that allow for easy comparisons of the academic performance of demographic groups within a school, division or the commonwealth. The charts also allow users to compare school-level performance with performance in the division and statewide.
School Quality Profiles also include interactive presentations on topics that were not part of the previous school report cards, including absenteeism, suspensions and expulsions, and eligibility and participation of students in school nutrition programs.
Additional reports will be added to the School Quality Profiles as the Board of Education revises the commonwealth’s school accreditation standards and implements the federal Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015.
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