Academics: Curriculum
The core curriculum at FVCA offers outstanding academic instruction; integrated technology and foreign language programs; local, regional, and national academic competitions; field trips; music, drama, and after-school enrichment classes. Materials are carefully selected from both Christian and secular publishers. Download the Curriculum Guide (Adobe PDF file).
Testing:
Achievement testing for 2nd-8th grade students is conducted most years in April. These standardized tests measure student achievement using national norms for both private and public schools. FVCA utilizes both the Stanford 10 Achievement Test and the Otis-Lennon School Ability Test (OLSAT), 8th edition. The Stanford Achievement Test Series measures student progress toward high academic standards and is a valid and reliable tool for objective measurement of achievement. The OLSAT measures the cognitive abilities a student must have in order to learn in school. When the OLSAT is administered with the Stanford Achievement Test Series, the OLSAT scores can be used to relate a student's achievement to his or her ability.
Standardized testing provides an objective assessment of knowledge in specific subject areas. FVCA utilizes the Stanford Achievement Test as a tool to measure and monitor the academic achievement of our students. As the most recent test results demonstrate, the FVCA students consistently score well above national averages. FVCA students also score favorably compared to other Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI) member schools. A full summary of the test results is below.
PR = National Individual Percentile Rank: This score indicates the relative standing of a student or student group in comparison with students from the same grade in the national norm (reference) group who took the test at a comparable time. (National norm = 50.0) For example, a score of 75 indicates performance equal to or better than 75% of students.
GE=Grade Equivalent: This score represents the average performance of students tested in a given month of the school year. For example, a score of 5.7 means that an average student in the fifth grade, seventh month would achieve this score.
PHS = Post high school