Specialty Centers

Specialty center student timeline for 2021-22:

• Nov. 8, 2021: Parent permission form will be available at 9 a.m. in the PowerSchool Parent Portal. Parent or guardian must submit the form for their eighth grade student to have access to the online application. (See “Specialty Center” button in PowerSchool Parent Portal.)
• Nov. 15, 2021: Online application available to students starting at 9 a.m.
  • 2022-23 specialty center application for non-HCPS students (Henrico County residents who do not attend an HCPS school)
  • 2022-23 optional teacher recommendation (paper application)
• Nov. 15, 2021: Private school testing registration begins.
• Jan. 10, 2022: Online application deadline for students is 11:59 p.m.
• March 11, 2022: HCPS students receive online access at 4:30 p.m. to check application status. Emails will be sent to private school students.
• March 25, 2022: Deadline for applicants to declare intent or accept waitlist offers online is 11:59 p.m. Students may accept one center and one waitlist center, or they may accept two waitlist offers if they did not receive an offer.
• April 1, 2022: All students on the waitlist who are offered a center spot must inform the specialty center chair by 4:30 p.m. of their intent to accept an offer of admission. 

To apply for admission to an HCPS specialty center, you must register to take the specialty center assessment test. The 2022-23 test includes three sections: reading, mathematics and writing. Students will be allocated one hour for each section of the assessment. Enrollment in testing sessions will be limited to 15 students. Additional testing information and safety protocols are detailed here.

Parents must register their student in advance for the specialty center assessment. Registration for testing closes Jan. 10, 2022.

If you have questions, please contact Lesley Brown at lybrown1@henrico.k12.va.us.

Specialty center testing dates:

Session 1: Jan. 12, 2022 from 9 a.m.–12:30 p.m.

Session 2: Jan. 12, 2022 from 1:30 p.m.–5 p.m.

Session 3: Jan. 13, 2022 from 9 a.m.–12:30 p.m.

Session 4: Jan. 13, 2022 from 1:30 p.m.–5 p.m.

Session 5: Jan.  19, 2022 from 9 a.m.–12:30 p.m.

Session 6: Jan. 19, 2022 from 1:30 p.m.–5 p.m.

Session 7: Jan. 20, 2022 from 9 a.m.–12:30 p.m.

Location: All testing sessions will be held in the Multipurpose Room of the Eastern Henrico Government Building (Henrico County Public Schools Central Office), 3820 Nine Mile Road, Henrico, Va. 23223

• Applicants will take a combination of up to three assessments based on the requirements of the centers they select.
• Applications must have been submitted before students can test.
• Students will take the assessment(s) at their school.
• Testing will take place for HCPS students in person using laptop computers.