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RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Virginia education officials say more than 30 percent of the state's public schools failed to meet full accreditation standards last year.
The Department of Education reported Tuesday that 68 percent of the state's 1,827 schools were fully accredited based on Standards of Learning test results. That is down from 77 percent the previous year and 93 percent two years ago.
The number of schools accredited with warning increased from 393 to 545. Ten schools were denied accreditation because of persistently low student achievement.
Education officials attributed the poorer results to more rigorous standards implemented in 2011.
To earn full accreditation, at least 75 percent of students must pass reading and writing SOL tests and at least 70 percent must pass the math, science and history assessments.
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