HENRICO COUNTY, Va. -- Henrico County Board of Supervisors Chair Tyrone Nelson has issued a challenge to the Henrico School Board. That challenge is to help East End students improve standardized testing scores. And, he said, simply spending more money at schools where students are struggling may not solve the problem.
"We want all our schools to be great, not just half of the county. We can’t be great with SOL scores under 50," Nelson said to the divide in test scores between schools in the western part of the county versus the eastern part.
Last year, elementary, middle, and high schools in Henrico's West End had higher pass rates for reading, math, and science tests.
Many had between 80 and 90 percent of students pass.
In Henrico's East End, many schools had pass rates between 30 and 40 percent.
The county's recently proposed budget calls for more than $881 million to go towards Henrico Schools.
That's about $62 million more than the previous year.
The increase includes raises for some staff members and more mental health resources.
But Nelson said narrowing the achievement gap goes beyond a bigger budget.
"We work hard to make sure we give all of the support we can to our East End schools. It’s bigger than that. It’s deeper than that. If I knew the answer, I’d fix it. I don’t. So that’s why I’m leaning on our school folk, trying to figure it out, and we’re offering up what kind of support we can offer up, whatever support," he said.
Highland Springs High School English teacher and Henrico Education Association President Patrick Miller said while money may not solve all the issues, it could be part of the problem.
"We need to account for the fact that there are huge wealth and economic disparities between the West End and the East End," Miller said. "Plenty of our students come to school with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder from their from their environments."
While Miller said he hoped something would be done to address lagging test scores, he said the SOL should not be the only measurement of student success.
"Ask any teacher if they think that the SOL tests are an adequate measure of what their students know, and don't know, and you'll probably get a resounding absolutely not for most teachers," he said.
CBS 6 reached out to Henrico County Public Schools and School Board Chair Alicia Atkins and received the following response:
Henrico County Public Schools has a long history of academic excellence and preparing our students throughout the county for success, while responding to the unique needs of our learners.
This success is accomplished only through the commitment and dedication of our principals, teachers and staff members who support the academic growth and well-being of each Henrico student.
An example of this excellence in the Varina district is the state accreditation of Elko Middle School and Montrose Elementary School this year.
State accreditation takes into account SOL pass rates, but more importantly, how much each individual student grew academically during the school year. SOL results are a snapshot in time and are only one of many measures used by teachers and administrators to evaluate student progress.
“We are incredibly proud of our principals, teachers and staff who work so hard each and every day to meet the needs of all of our students,” said Alicia Atkins, School Board Chair. “The budget that the School Board has proposed for 2024-25 directly responds to and addresses the areas of greatest need throughout the county.”
HCPS continuously evaluates the evolving needs of students and staff to ensure HCPS delivers on its mission of creating life ready learners. The FY25 budget proposed by the HCPS School Board invests significantly in positions such as reading specialists, English as Second Language teachers, and school counselors. It also includes positions for the new Center for Innovation at Rolfe Middle School, a first-of-its-kind program in the county. Finally, it designates Highland Springs Elementary School as an additional HCPS Opportunity School, which ensures that licensed staff earn an additional $3,000 annual stipend, and that the school receives additional staffing resources and specialized professional learning tailored to their needs.
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