ROANOKE (WSLS 10) - You have a new way to look at school data with Virginia's new School Quality Profiles. You can browse by division or school. Virginia Superintendent of Public Instruction Dr. Steven Staples says it enables you to look at school performance beyond SOL tests.
The information is broken down in these easy to understand graphics--- showing student achievement, college and career readiness, program completion, school safety, teacher quality and other topics. It can show you disciplinary practices, who's being suspended, how often and for what reasons. It looks at attendance, who's coming to school and as Dr. Staples says more importantly who's not coming to school.
He likes that you can look at outcomes like student achievement that aren't always visible just looking at the accreditation data.
"Better informed citizens drive more specific school improvement and I think the school quality profiles have given us better-informed citizens in the information that it provides and that's the ultimate accountability for schools, how their local citizens feel about the schools that serve their own children," said Dr. Staples. "Citizens have a chance to start talking about things that drive school improvement and not just lament the fact that schools may not be performing as they like."
If you want to take a look at the data you can visit: http://schoolquality.virginia.gov/