Virginia SOLs report details actions state must take to ‘advance student outcomes’

The House Bill 585 Work Group has released recommended updates to Virginia’s Standards of Learning for public school students.

The work group, led by the Virginia Secretary of Education Aimee Rogstad Guidera and Superintendent of Public Instruction Lisa Coons, was established by legislation to revise Virginia SOLs and develop a plan for implementing revisions.

“Virginia students, families, and teachers deserve a best-in-class assessment system,” Guidera, who served as a co-chair of the working group, said. “Actionable data is the foundation for improving performance and holding our schools accountable. This report illuminates the actions we must take to advance student outcomes, improve access to quality and timely information for parents, students, and the public and restore excellence for Virginia students.”

The recommendations focus on five opportunities for the Commonwealth to strengthen its assessment system and reinforce that to Virginia has an educational system that is strongest in the nation and ensures every student is prepared for post-secondary opportunities and long-term success in life.

Recommendations include:

• clearer and more rigorous Standards of Learning
• more rigorous assessment items
• more timely, clear and actionable reporting
• improved system coherence to ensure measurement of proficiency and student growth
• innovative assessment design and plan for future innovation

“Virginia is committed to raising learning expectations for all children in the Commonwealth,” Coons, co-chair of the working group, said. “These recommendations are part of a larger statewide focus to restructure and strengthen Virginia’s Framework for Excellence in Education. Virginia’s best-in-class Framework for Excellence in Education will strengthen our standards, assessments, and accountability and help ensure that Virginia students are prepared for success in life.”

The recommendations align with education reforms the Youngkin Administration has undertaken and its focus on raising learning expectations and ensuring a best-in-class education for all Virginians. The reforms concentrate on increasing the rigor of History, Math, English and Science standards; redefining proficiency to provide true indicators of performance; instituting a transparent and actionable accountability system; rethinking Virginia’s assessment system; and ensuring that educators, parents, students, the public and policymakers have access to actionable data that can be used to improve student outcomes.

The House Bill 585 Work Group includes leaders from across Virginia and experts in assessment, including Jenna Alexander, president of the Virginia Parent Teacher Association, Wendy Chandler – Division Director of Testing for Augusta County Schools, Grace Creasey, State Board of Education Member and Executive Director of the Virginia Council for Private Education and Thomas Taylor, superintendent of Stafford County Public Schools.

House Bill 585 requires that the Work Group’s recommendation of key action steps go to the General Assembly. The Department of Education will report on the implementation of these recommendations each year through 2027. The Work Group’s full recommendations are available online.