College, Career and Citizen-Ready
Each day in Newport News Public Schools the focus is on one mission: ensuring that all students graduate college, career and citizen-ready.
College-Ready
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Advanced Placement Courses. The school division offers more Advanced Placement (AP) courses than any other school district or private school on the Peninsula. AP courses are open to all; students with qualifying grades may earn college credit.
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Dual-Enrollment. High school juniors and seniors have the option of earning college credit and high school credit concurrently through dual-enrollment courses at Thomas Nelson Community College (TNCC) and Norfolk State University.
- Early College. High school seniors may earn up to 19 semester hours of college credit prior to high school graduation in this unique partnership with Thomas Nelson Community College. During their senior year, students complete their high school course work during the first semester and attend TNCC during the second semester.
Career-Ready
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Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Education (STEM). With innovative instruction, new technologies, renovated science labs, and resourceful business partners, students at all levels are engaged in hands-on and minds-on activities that prepare them for further education and rewarding career possibilities in STEM.
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Industry Certifications. Career and Technical Education (CTE) courses are designed around industry standards to ensure high-quality instruction for high-wage, high-demand and high-skill careers. CTE courses prepare students to earn more than a dozen industry certifications, accelerating student access to technical, high-skilled careers. NNPS High School Students Earn Industry and Professional Certifications through CTE Courses
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Early Career. High school seniors can jump start their careers before graduation with this partnership program. During the first semester of their senior year, students complete their high school coursework and take special training courses. During the second semester, students begin working full time with a local business or industry partner.
Citizen-Ready
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Youth Development. Through school leadership academies and participation in clubs and organizations, students in all grades have the opportunity to develop leadership skills, volunteerism and citizenship.
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Service Learning. Service to others is introduced, taught and practiced as part of the elementary curriculum. Middle and high school students provide a wealth of services to the community by contributing their time and talents to service projects and volunteer efforts.
Newport News Public Schools is continuing to excel!
School Accreditation. Twenty-one of NNPS' 38 schools are Fully Accredited by the Virginia Department of Education; one is Partially Accredited: Approaching Benchmark Pass Rate; eight are Partially Accredited: Reconstituted Schools; one is Partially Accredited: Improving School, and two are Partially-Accredited: Warned; five are denied accreditation. For the first time since the 2010-2011 school year, all NNPS high schools earned full accreditation.
Virginia Department of Education accreditation ratings require all schools to meet or exceed benchmarks for achievement in English, mathematics, science and history. High schools must also meet a graduation and completion index.
Accreditation ratings for the 2017-2018 school year are based on the achievement of students on the 2016-2017 administration of Standards of Learning tests.
More NNPS Students are Earning Diplomas. By keeping the focus on college and career readiness, NNPS' graduation rate has increased to 93.4%, up from 72.9% in 2008. During the same time, the dropout rate decreased from 12% to 2.3% for the class of 2017. Newport News Public Schools' dropout prevention and recovery program provides an array of services to help students graduate on time (in four years).
NNPS Students are Preparing for Successful Futures. More high-school students are earning industry and professional certifications, preparing them for future careers. In 2017, NNPS students earned 3,261 certifications, giving them access to advanced post-secondary opportunities, and high-skilled internships and careers.
Through the Early College program, dual-enrollment initiatives, International Baccalaureate, Advanced Placement and Honors courses, 85% of high school students were enrolled in rigorous coursework last school year.
Two hundred fifty NNPS high school students who took Advanced Placement courses during the 2016-2017 school year were named 2017 Advanced Placement (AP) Scholars by the College Board. Students earning this distinction took at least three AP course exams and scored a 3 or better (out of 5) on each exam.
2,022 students took 3,373 Advanced Placement courses during the 2016-2017 school year. Recognizing the benefits of AP coursework, NNPS encourages all students to prepare for and take at least one AP class. Studies show that AP courses move students towards a higher level of preparedness for success after high school. Students with qualifying grades may earn college credit. NNPS offers more Advanced Placement courses than any other school district or private school on the Virginia Peninsula.
Five high school students were recognized in the 2018 National Merit Scholarship Program and the National Hispanic Scholars Program. The privately-financed, competition programs evaluate scores, and recognize high performing students - those with the highest PSAT Index scores in critical reading, mathematics and writing skills qualify for recognition.
Over 80% of all secondary students participated in a club, activity or sport, connecting them to school through the school district's youth development program.
NNPS Has Qualified Educators. NNPS has 51 National Board Certified Teachers. National Board Certification is recognized nationally as a benchmark for teacher quality and is the highest credential in the profession. Over ninety-nine percent of NNPS teachers are designated as highly qualified by federal standards.