On Tuesday, the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) updated its School Quality Profiles, which provide school district achievement data and other information to parents and the general public. For the first time in more than a decade, all Danville Public Schools (DPS) are fully accredited. In addition, eight of 10 are meeting or exceeding state expectations, according to the VDOE’s newly released School Performance and Support Framework, which evaluates mastery, growth, readiness, and graduation using 2024-2025 data. No single test or report card shows the full story of our students’ learning, per the VDOE. That’s why Virginia now uses multiple measures, not just test scores, to understand how schools are helping students grow, meet expectations, and prepare for the future.
School Accreditation Results
Superintendent Dr. Angela Hairston notes that since 2011, it has been challenging for all DPS schools to achieve full accreditation simultaneously. Today, we are proud to report that every school in Danville Public Schools is now fully accredited.
● Arnett Hills Elementary New School Accreditation
● Activ8 STEM Academy Program Cognia Accredited
● Forest Hills Elementary Fully Accredited
● Galileo Magnet High School Fully Accredited
● George Washington High Fully Accredited
● O.T. Bonner Middle Fully Accredited
● Park Avenue Elementary Fully Accredited
● Schoolfield Elementary Fully Accredited
● Westwood Middle Fully Accredited
● Woodberry Hills Elementary Fully Accredited
Choice Program Activ8 STEM Academy received full accreditation from Cognia, a nationally recognized accrediting agency that evaluates schools on rigorous standards of instructional quality, leadership, and continuous improvement.
Understanding Virginia’s Updated Accreditation System
Prior to this year, schools received accreditation ratings based largely on student performance on the Standards of Learning (SOL) assessments and the percentage of students identified as chronically absent. Under Virginia’s newly updated accountability and accreditation structure, accreditation now focuses on whether a school meets the Commonwealth’s basic standards to operate, with a strong emphasis on inputs, institutional capacity, and compliance requirements rather than solely on test outcomes.
In this new system, accreditation designations include:
● Fully Accredited – Meets all state requirements
● Conditionally Accredited – Has identified areas that must be addressed to regain full status
● Accreditation Denied – Has not met required standards
● New School – A temporary designation for newly opened schools during their first year
● Accreditation Withheld – Used only when testing concerns prevent validation of results
This revised approach works alongside Virginia’s School Performance and Support Framework—which reports student mastery, growth, readiness, and other outcomes—to give families and communities a clearer, more comprehensive picture of school quality.
School Performance and Support Framework Results
Galileo Magnet High School received the prestigious “Distinguished” designation, the highest rating in the framework, marking it as a model of best practices from which other schools across Virginia can learn.
Seven DPS schools earned the “On Track” designation, recognizing schools that are fully meeting Virginia’s expectations:
● Forest Hills Elementary
● George Washington High
● O.T. Bonner Middle
● Park Avenue Elementary
● Schoolfield Elementary
● Westwood Middle
● Woodberry Hills Elementary
The newly constructed Arnett Hills replaced G.L.H. Johnson Elementary and will receive its rating following the 2025-2026 school year. E.A. Gibson Elementary was designated “Off Track,” and R.I.S.E. Academy was designated as “Needs Intensive Support.”
Framework Score
Danville City Schools’ performance scores under Virginia’s new accountability framework. Blue indicates “Distinguished” schools, green is “On Track,” orange is “Off Track,” and red is “Needs Intensive Support.”
This fall, Grove Park Preschool and Northside Preschool also earned “Meets Expectations” ratings under Virginia’s VQB5 (Virginia Quality Birth to Five) system. This statewide measure assesses and supports the quality of all publicly funded birth-to-five classrooms, ensuring young learners receive strong, developmentally appropriate instruction from the very start.
“We are incredibly proud that our schools are now being recognized by the state for meeting and exceeding expectations,” said Board Chair Tyquan Graves. “This milestone reflects the tireless dedication and hard work of our staff, students, and parents. Together, they have raised the bar for achievement, and this recognition affirms the progress we are making as a district.”
Superintendent Hairston emphasized that “on-track or distinguished performance, coupled with full accreditation, reflects our division’s intentional focus on improved student attendance, impactful professional learning communities, and the adoption of High-Quality Instructional Materials. These collective efforts are transforming teaching and learning across DPS.”
VDOE Region VI Leaderboard
In a snapshot of Region VI from the VDOE, DPS has ranked among the top schools in the region in several areas.
● Top 5 Mastery – Reading: Galileo Magnet High
● Top 5 English Learner Progress: George Washington High
● Top 5 Growth – Reading: Schoolfield Elementary, Bonner Middle, Westwood Middle
● Top 5 Growth – Math: Bonner Middle
● Top 5 Readiness – 6-Year Graduation Rate: Galileo Magnet High
● Top 5 Readiness – Chronic Absenteeism: Park Avenue Elementary, Bonner Middle, and Galileo Magnet High
● Top 5 4-Year Graduate Rate: Galileo Magnet High
● Top 3 – Enrollment (3E Framework): Galileo Magnet High
Looking Ahead
Building on this success, DPS is doubling down on key initiatives to accelerate student outcomes, including:
● A renewed, divisionwide literacy initiative focused on strengthening foundational reading skills from early childhood through secondary grades.
● Deepened support in core content areas—math, science, and history—to ensure rigorous, standards-aligned learning in every classroom.
● Expanded leader and teacher development, including the DPS Microcredential Framework designed to build instructional expertise and elevate professional practice.
● Adoption and implementation of High Quality Instructional Materials (HQIM) fully aligned to state and district expectations, ensuring consistency, coherence, and increased access to grade-level content.
● Attendance, school choice, and family engagement initiatives that strengthen partnerships and foster meaningful connections between home and school.
● Enhanced supports for alternative education programs, ensuring students receive personalized pathways, wraparound services, and opportunities for success.
These investments reflect the division’s ongoing commitment to ensuring every student is supported, challenged, and prepared for success in college, career, and life.
Superintendent Dr. Angela Hairston underscored the importance of this milestone: “This recognition is a powerful reminder that sustained focus, high expectations, and collective effort lead to measurable results. For years, we have been working to change the trajectory of student achievement in Danville, and now the state is confirming what we already know, our schools are on the rise. This is not the finish line; it is a launching pad for even greater success.”
The VDOE’s School Quality Profiles have been updated to reflect the success of Danville Public Schools.