The Virginia Department of Education has published its 2015-16 accreditation ratings on its website, and 100 percent of Charlottesville City Schools met the state’s accreditation standards, compared with 78 percent of schools statewide. Out of 132 divisions in Virginia, Charlottesville is one of just 37 divisions that presently have all their schools fully accredited. Accreditation is based primarily on Standards of Learning (SOL) test results.

“We are so proud of our students and teachers,” said Beth Baptist, Director of Student Services and Achievement. “Despite the increased rigor and rising benchmarks of the SOL tests, in Charlottesville, our schools are meeting or surpassing the state’s standards.

“Even so, we remember that SOL tests are just one indicator of school success, and we applaud the state for taking steps to scale back or reconsider these exams.”