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The latest Standards of Learning data report for Franklin City Public Schools offered results that the Franklin City School Board found encouraging overall but with some areas that are still in need of significant improvement.

FCPS Chief Academic Officer Krystal Thompkins gave the report at the board’s Sept. 5 work session, and the majority of her visual presentation was composed of Virginia Department of Education School Accreditation Detail Reports from 2023-24 compared to 2024-25.

The detail reports were for Franklin High School, which now houses grades 7-12, and S.P. Morton Elementary School, which now houses pre-K-6.

There were one of three different final performance levels determined for each relevant school quality indicator, and those levels were as follows: 

• Level 1: At or Above Standard, represented by the color green;
• Level 2: Near Standard, represented by the color yellow; and
• Level 3: Below Standard, represented by the color red.

FRANKLIN HIGH SCHOOL

The VDOE’s 2023-24 School Accreditation Detail Report for Franklin High School noted that the school’s grade span at this time was 8-12. It stated that the school’s accreditation status the previous year, 2022-23, was “Accredited,” and its accreditation status for 2023-24 was “Accredited with Conditions.”

The VDOE’s 2024-25 School Accreditation Detail Report for FHS noted that the school’s grade span is now 7-12. It stated that the school’s accreditation status remains “Accredited with Conditions.”

Each detail report featured school quality indicators with corresponding final performance levels, and the levels were based on data from the 2022-23 school year for the ’23-’24 detail report and on data from the 2023-24 school year for the ’24-’25 detail report.

Following is a comparison of the final performance levels from each detail report for FHS:

• English – Academic Achievement: Stayed a Level 1;
• English – Achievement Gap: Moved from Level 2 to Level 1;
• Math – Academic Achievement: Stayed at Level 1;
• Math – Achievement Gap: Stayed at Level 1; 
• Science – Academic Achievement: Stayed at Level 3; 
• Chronic Absenteeism: Moved from Level 3 to Level 2;
• Graduation and Completion Index: Stayed at Level 1; 
• Dropout Rate: Moved from Level 1 to Level 3; and
• College, Career and Civic Readiness Index: Stayed at Level 3.

Reflecting on the SOL data report overall for FHS, Franklin City School Board Chairman Robert Holt said, “I think the high school ended very well compared to where they were maybe early in the winter, and we were pleased that they kind of caught up and did a good job.”

S.P. MORTON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

The VDOE’s 2023-24 School Accreditation Detail Report for S.P. Morton noted that the school’s grade span at the time was pre-K-5. It stated that the school’s accreditation status the previous year, 2022-23, was “Accredited with Conditions,” and its accreditation status for 2023-24 was also “Accredited with Conditions.”

The VDOE’s 2024-25 School Accreditation Detail Report for SPM noted that the school’s grade span is now pre-K-6. It stated that the school’s accreditation status remains “Accredited with Conditions.”

Like with FHS, each SPM detail report featured school quality indicators with corresponding final performance levels, and the levels were based on data from the 2022-23 school year for the ’23-’24 detail report and on data from the 2023-24 school year for the ’24-’25 detail report.

Following is a comparison of the final performance levels from each detail report for SPM: 

• English – Academic Achievement: Moved from Level 3 to Level 1; 
• English – Achievement Gap: Moved from Level 3 to Level 1; 
• Math – Academic Achievement: Stayed at Level 3; 
• Math – Achievement Gap: Stayed at Level 3; 
• Science – Academic Achievement: Stayed at Level 3; and 
• Chronic Absenteeism: Move from Level 3 to Level 2.

Thompkins’ presentation concluded with a slide sharing some data highlights from across the division. The percentages listed below represent the percentage of students passing the SOL tests in 2022-23 and then in 2023-24:

• English (SPM): 54% and then 70%;
• English (Grade 6): 38% and then 60%;
• Mathematics (Grade 6): 7% and then 64%;
• English Writing (Grade 11): 93% and then 96%;
• English (FHS): 70% and then 81%;
• World History I (FHS): 37% and then 75%; 
• History (FHS): 32% and then 58%; 
• Algebra I (FHS): 80% and then 89%; and
• Advanced Diploma: 59% and then 69%.

Reflecting on the SOL data report overall for SPM, Holt said, “We’re especially pleased with the S.P. Morton School’s reading and math scores. They went up significantly, and that’s been a priority, and we’re pleased to see that’s working out really well. And I think we’re going to do even better this year, so we’re excited about that.”

Holt concluded his thoughts by noting, “So overall, I think we’re very pleased with the SOL scores. … I think we’re in good shape on it.”