Understanding Virginia's Standards of Learning (SOL)

The Standards of Learning (SOL) is a standardized testing program in Virginia public schools that sets learning and achievement expectations for core subjects in grades K-12. It serves as a framework for what schools should teach and students should learn, reflecting the collective vision of teachers, administrators, parents, and community leaders. This article provides a comprehensive overview of the Virginia Standards of Learning, including its history, purpose, impact, and ongoing debates.

The Purpose and Structure of SOLs

The Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) uses the Standards of Learning (SOL) to outline the goals and objectives of the curriculum taught at each grade level in each subject. Student performance on state-mandated SOL tests measures how well these goals and objectives are met. These tests assess students in English, mathematics, science, and history/social science. Testing occurs in English and mathematics in grades 3-8 and upon completing specific high school-level courses.

Many Northern Virginia school districts augment the state SOLs with an additional layer of their own county curriculums to "exceed state standards," reflecting their commitment to rigorous academic standards. Some counties measure instruction and learning outcomes quarterly through standardized testing in each subject and grade level, supplementing the annual state SOLs.

History and Evolution of the SOLs

In 1992, Virginia attempted to adopt an education plan known as the Common Core of Learning. A grassroots movement, largely driven by parents, opposed the Common Core of Learning, arguing that it lacked a meaningful education plan and placed more emphasis on behavioral issues than on educational content. After a debate at Huguenot High School, the Common Core of Learning was discarded.

In June 1995, the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) approved the Standards of Learning in four core content areas: mathematics, science, English, and history & social sciences, which became the springboard for adhering to the new No Child Left Behind Act, enacted in January 2002.

Read also: Science Standards in Virginia

In 1998, the first year of SOL testing, only 2 percent of the Virginia Commonwealth's public schools met the standard for full accreditation. The VDOE stopped reporting statewide results in 2006. On January 14, 2010, the Board of Education announced personal learning plans for each middle and high school student to align the student's course of study with academic and career goals. This revision was made to the Regulations Establishing Standards for Accrediting Public Schools in Virginia.

Impact of SOLs on Schools and Students

The results of the SOL directly affect the schools that administer them, as much as they affect the students. If a school does not meet a certain passing rate each year, it can lose its accreditation. This sets higher standards for employment and puts more responsibility on teachers and administrators to focus on areas of learning that are fundamental to the Standards of Learning. Before the SOL was implemented, the tests required to graduate affected the student, not the school.

In Virginia, the Standards of Learning tests are high-stakes for the schools themselves at the elementary and middle school level, but less so for the students. SOL testing results have huge implications for the school, and the results are part of the School Performance Report Cards. At this level, the pass rate is the determining factor of whether or not a school attains or retains its accreditation status. It forms the basis for assessment of school, teacher, and student performance, and the results are widely publicized in the media. Standardized test scores are also a factor in determining local real estate values as homebuyers seek to purchase homes in neighborhoods with high achieving students. With the addition of the recent passage of the federal No Child Left Behind Education Act, the testing culture of American public education can only be expected to increase, not decrease.

SOLs and the No Child Left Behind Act

The SOL is supportive of the No Child Left Behind Act, which was signed into law by then-President George W. Bush on January 8, 2002. The No Child Left Behind Act is federal legislation signed into effect on January 8, 2002 (NCLB). This act significantly influenced the emphasis on standardized testing in public education across the United States.

Understanding SOL Scores

A student must get a raw score of 400 or higher on their SOL(s) in order to pass the test. Passing with a raw score of 500 is considered advanced/proficient. A perfect score is 600. The scores are scaled and do not correlate to the percentage of correct answers (a passing score of 400 does not indicate a student got 66% of the questions correct). A student's advancement to the next grade is not contingent on passing any SOL tests.

Read also: Virginia Learning Standards Review

Several tests have been updated to the more advanced computer adaptive test (CAT) model, in which students are given a question, and based on whether or not the student got the answer correct or not, a computer gives the student either an easier or harder question. By using this model, many students have noticed worse scores on the tests.

Concerns and Anxieties Surrounding SOL Testing

Perhaps the greatest area of concern for elementary and middle school students is parental and student anxieties over the testing experience itself. Talk with your child honestly about what the tests are all about. Emphasize that SOL tests at the elementary and middle school level will not have any impact on passing to the next grade. Encourage children to give it their best shot, i.e. try their best but not stress out about it. Reinforce the message that it's not the end of the world. Put it in perspective for them. Children with limited test taking experience might need to learn successful test-taking strategies. Talk to your child's teacher or school guidance counselor for help, especially if the child has recently returned from overseas. Let your child take his/her cue from you - if you act relaxed about it; perhaps he/she will be, too. Discuss your child's situation with the teacher as well.

You can, however, help your child to prepare for the SOLs by using school or teacher-generated review packets or checking the state Standards of Learning (SOL) web site to view the curriculum by subject and grade level that they will be expected to know. Help your child feel more comfortable taking the SOL by downloading some released test items from previous tests. They can become familiar with the format and practice taking the test. Check out the Virginia Department of Education's new site for tutorials and practicing the SOL tests.

SOLs and High School Graduation Requirements

For high school students, the scenario in Virginia is much different, as Standards of Learning tests are required for graduation and thus become high-stakes testing. New graduation requirements are being phased in, and students will be required to pass a certain number of "verified units of credit" (SOLs) in order to receive either the modified, standard, or advanced studies diploma. There are alternatives that may be acceptable to the SOL end-of-course exam that would suit the unique needs of a transfer student such as a Foreign Service student. Whether a student passes or fails will not be reflected on their transcripts, and they are given other opportunities to retake the exams.

The Family Liaison Office recommends that the student take the SOL exam if at all possible. The uncertainty of evacuations has demonstrated that one cannot be certain about what might happen next. It has happened that plans can change dramatically and students end up graduating from an American high school in Virginia due to circumstances beyond their control. Those SOLs will then take on an all-new importance for high school graduation. Again, math and language arts are more universal skills-based tests, and therefore the chances for a passing score are good. Science and social studies are more problematic - it is recommended that the student and parents confer with the guidance counselor and SOL coordinator at the school. Standards of Learning for high school courses are listed by course description rather than grade level.

Recent Debates and Changes to Accreditation

Throughout his tenure, Gov. Glenn Youngkinâs administration has focused on the need to âraise expectationsâ in Virginia public education. The debate can be hard for non-policy experts to follow. Virginia first administered SOL tests in 1998. Besides taking the Standards of Learning, representative groups of fourth and eighth grade students in Virginia and all other states also take the National Assessment for Educational Progress, or NAEP.

The current debate concerns the boardâs decision in 2017 to change accreditation requirements, which went into effect during the 2018-19 school year. Overall, the board lowered the proficiency cut scores by one to four points in every grade level in reading and mathematics. Prior to the cut score changes, the Board of Education also revised its school accreditation guidelines, the criteria set by the state for whether a school meets certain expected educational standards.

During a Jan. At the same briefing, Balow accused the previous two administrations of systematically lowering standards for schools and expectations for students.

Previous board members have argued cut scores canât be viewed in isolation but are set depending on the specific assessment and its level of difficulty. More challenging tests may have lower cut scores, while easier tests may have higher scores.

As a way to improve the process of adopting cut scores, board member Andy Rotherham, a Youngkin appointee, recommended adding experts from higher education to the articulation committee.

Resources for Parents and Students

The Virginia Department of Education web site has detailed information on curriculum, graduation requirements, transfer students, curriculum materials for teachers, released test items, and a parent handbook. Additionally, your child's teacher(s) and guidance counselors at the school are excellent resources and it is recommended that you communicate individual concerns with the appropriate school personnel as well. The Family Liaison Office has compiled a list of Internet resources found at the end of this article to help family members anywhere in the world learn more about Virginia Standards of Learning as well as the No Child Left Behind Act.

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