2018-2019 VIP awards criteria
Levels of Recognition
VIP awards presented to schools and school divisions are based on criteria and guidelines adopted by the Board of Education. Schools and school divisions must meet or exceed all applicable state and federal accountability requirements.
- Governor’s Award for Educational Excellence – 80 VIP base points in each content area and meet all state objectives for increased achievement and expanded opportunity
- Board of Education Excellence Award – 80 VIP points (including bonus points) in each content area
- Board of Education Distinguished Achievement Award – 75 VIP points (including bonus points) in each content area
In addition, high schools and divisions must graduate at least 85 percent of students with a Standard or Advanced Studies Diploma within six years – or achieve an annual increase in their graduation rate for the Board of Education Distinguished Achievement Award – and have a dropout rate of 10 percent or less. Schools and school divisions that experience significant irregularities in the administration of Standards of Learning (SOL) and other state assessments are ineligible.
Calculating Points
VIP points reflect a weighted average of proficiency levels on statewide assessments and progress toward educational goals established by the Board of Education and the governor. Schools and school divisions earn points on an index calculated on all statewide assessments with the following weights:
- Advanced proficient: 100
- Proficient: 80
- Basic: 25
- Fail: 0
The weighted index is applied to all assessments taken in the school or division. Separate base scores are calculated for each content area – English, mathematics, science, and history/social science – using the following formula: (Following the calculation of the weighted index, additional index points are awarded as indicated in the next section.)
(Advanced Proficient tests x 100) + (Proficient tests x 80) + (Basic tests x 25) |
Summary
Learn more about levels of recognition in terms of eligibility criteria, award thresholds, state objectives & bonus points for schools and school divisions.
2018-2019 VIP Criteria, Indicators, and Award Requirements
Eligibility Criteria
| Criteria | Board of Education Distinguished Achievement Award | Board of Education Excellence Award | Governor's Award for Educational Excellence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Schools must be Fully Accredited and school divisions must have made federal graduation targets. | All schools and school divisions | All schools and school divisions | All schools and school divisions |
| Schools and division should have no significant testing irregularities verified during the applicable school year. | All schools and school divisions | All schools and school divisions | All schools and school divisions |
Award Thresholds
| Criteria | Board of Education Distinguished Achievement Award | Board of Education Excellence Award | Governor's Award for Educational Excellence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number of index points on the weighted VIP index, using the established weightings in each of the following content areas: (a) English (combined reading and writing); (b) mathematics; (c) science; and (d) history and social science. Schools with no grades in which tests are administered earn index points based on test data used to make federal and state accountability determinations. All non-test criteria, such as bonus points for foreign language instructional services and the Governor’s Nutrition and Physical Activity Scorecard Program, will be determined based on the individual school’s data. |
At least 75 in each content area, including additional index points where applicable | At least 80 in each content area, including additional index points where applicable | At least 80 in each content area |
State Objectives & Bonus Points
for Elementary Schools
| State Objectives | Board of Education Distinguished Achievement Award | Board of Education Excellence Award | Governor's Award for Educational Excellence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students passing the Grade 3 state reading assessment (percent passing increases annually, state goal 95%) | 3 VIP bonus points | 3 VIP bonus points | State goal met |
| Students passing the Grade 5 state reading assessment (percent passing increases annually, state goal 95%) | 1 VIP bonus point | 1 VIP bonus point | Annual increase or state goal met |
| School offers foreign language instruction in the elementary grades | 1 VIP bonus point | 1 VIP bonus point | Required |
for Middle Schools
| State Objectives | Board of Education Distinguished Achievement Award | Board of Education Excellence Award | Governor's Award for Educational Excellence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students enrolled in Algebra I by Grade 8* (percent participating increases annually, state goal 50%) | 2 VIP bonus points | 2 VIP bonus points | State goal met |
| Students passing the Grade 8 state reading and writing assessments (percent passing increases annually, state goal 95%) | 1 VIP bonus point | 1 VIP bonus point | Annual increase or state goal met |
for High Schools
| State Objectives | Board of Education Distinguished Achievement Award | Board of Education Excellence Award | Governor's Award for Educational Excellence |
|---|---|---|---|
| High school students enrolled in one or more AP, IB, or dual enrollment courses (percent increases annually, state goal 30%) | 1 VIP bonus point | 1 VIP bonus point | State goal met |
| High school students earning career and technical industry certifications, state licenses, or successful national occupational assessment credentials (number or percent increases annually) OR Students who participate in advanced coursework in the STEM areas, including Advanced Placement courses, International Baccalaureate courses, and dual enrollment courses (percent increases annually) |
1 VIP bonus point | 1 VIP bonus point | Annual increase in number of percent of students earning CTE credentials or increase in percentage of students in advanced STEM courses |
| Students who graduate high school in four, five, or six years with a Standard or Advanced Studies Diploma (based on the federal graduation indicator; percent increases annually, state goal 85%) | Annual increase or state goal met | State goal met | State goal met |
| High school graduates earning an Advanced Studies Diploma out of the total number of Board of Education-approved diplomas awarded (percent increases annually, state goal 60%) | 1 VIP bonus point | 1 VIP bonus point | State goal met |
| Students in each subgroup who graduate from high school with a Standard or Advanced Studies Diploma (percent increases annually, state goal 85%) | 1 VIP bonus point | 1 VIP bonus point | Annual increase or state goal met |
| Students who graduate from high school having taken Calculus, Chemistry, and Physics* (percent increases annually) | 1 VIP bonus point | 1 VIP bonus point | Annual increase |
| Students who graduate from high school having earned advanced proficient scores on each of the state end-of-course assessments in English reading, English writing, and Algebra II* (percent increases annually) | 1 VIP bonus point | 1 VIP bonus point | Annual increase |
| Students who drop out of high school (10% or less, based on the four-year dropout rate) | 10% or less | 10% or less | 10% or less |
| Increase the number of high school students who earn the one-year Uniform Certificate of General Studies or an associate degree from a community college in the Commonwealth concurrent with a high school diploma | 1 VIP bonus point | 1 VIP bonus point | Annual increase |
For all Schools and Divisions
| State Objectives | Board of Education Distinguished Achievement Award | Board of Education Excellence Award | Governor's Award for Educational Excellence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Increase participation in the Governor’s Nutrition and Physical Activity Scorecard Awards program (schools must earn an award; divisions increase program participation) | 1 VIP bonus point | 1 VIP bonus point | 1 VIP bonus point |
| Increase the percentage of students in each subgroup earning higher levels of proficiency on state assessments (increase required for the three proficiency gap groups used to make federal accountability determinations in mathematics and reading) | 1 VIP bonus point | 1 VIP bonus point | 1 VIP bonus point |
| State Objectives | Board of Education Distinguished Achievement Award | Board of Education Excellence Award | Governor's Award for Educational Excellence |
|---|---|---|---|
| If eligible, the division participates in the Virginia Preschool Initiative for at-risk four-year-olds. | 1 VIP bonus point | 1 VIP bonus point | All eligible schools participate |
| Students in the division enroll in Board of Education-approved Governor’s STEM Academies or a Regional Academic Year Governor’s School with a focus on STEM | 1 VIP bonus point | 1 VIP bonus point | Students enrolled |
| Schools offer foreign language instruction in the elementary grades (number increases annually, state goal 100%) | 1 VIP bonus point | 1 VIP bonus point | Annual increase or state goal met |
| Increase the percentage of schools that are Fully Accredited | 1 VIP bonus point | 1 VIP bonus point | 1 VIP bonus point |