What's New
Legislation passed in the 2021 General Assembly (HB2027 and SB1357) requires the implementation of “through year” growth assessments for all Virginia school divisions in the areas of reading and mathematics for grades 3-8. The growth assessments will not result in a pass or fail grade. The results will be used in comparison to spring SOL tests to determine student’s academic growth throughout the school year. In addition, assessment results will assist teachers in identifying students’ areas of strength and areas that need additional support.
SOL Growth Testing Letter to Parents
VDOE's News Release for Growth Assessments
The Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) has developed a new type of test question for future Standards of Learning (SOL) Reading assessments in grades 5, 8, and high school. Beginning in spring 2024, the newly developed Integrated Reading and Writing items will be administered as an additional component of the grade 5 and grade 8 Standars of Learning Reading tests. With these new items, students are presented with a nonfiction passage based on history or science content that is accompanied by 6 questions connected to the passage in addition to a writing prompt based on the passage. The nonfiction passage provides context for students to use when responding to the prompt, or it may serve as a springboard for students who choose to incorporate personal experiences in their responses.
All school divisions in the state of Virginia are required to administer Standards of Learning (SOL). A full detailed SOL testing schedule for Surry County Public Schools is available on the Assessment Schedule page of this website.
Federal law requires schools to give SOL tests in reading, mathematics, and science. Additionally, state policy requires schools to use local alternative assessments in grade levels and content areas where SOL tests have been removed.
SOL tests measure what content and skills students have learned detailed in the Virginia Standards of Learning. Tests provide information about student achievement to the parent, school, school division, and state. SOL scores are available for families by the start of the next school year.
Local alternative assessments are the combination of formal and informal assessments delivered as part of regular classroom instruction throughout the school year. Like SOL tests, the local alternative assessments measure student learning of the content standards. Performance on local alternative assessments is incorporated into quarterly progress reports for families
Notification of Parental Rights Regarding State and LEA Assessments
NOTIFICATION OF TESTING: Grades 3-8 Virginia Standards of Learning (SOL) Testing
NOTIFICATION OF TESTING: High School Virginia Standards of Learning (SOL) Testing
Notification of Testing Letter to Parents: Virginia Alternative Assessment Program (VAAP)
Expedited Retake for SOL Testing
Virginia legislation permits school divisions to provide students in grades three through eight with an opportunity to retake SOL tests they fail by a small margin. In order to be eligible to retake an SOL test, the school must receive permission from students’ parents or guardians.
Parent Letter for Expedited SOL Testing
Every school year, SOL data is shared publicly at the School Board meeting in September/October. This information is also linked here for public access.
SOL Results School Board Presentation 2022-2023 School Year (Presented Fall 2022)
SOL Results School Board Presentation (Presented Fall 2023)
PRELIMINARY SOL and Accreditation Results (Presented August 2024)
Parent/Guardian SOL Testing Refusal
Virginia does not have an assessment opt-out provision; however, parents/guardians may refuse to permit their student to participate in one, some, or all of Virginia’s Standards of Learning (SOL) assessments or the Virginia Alternate Assessment Program (VAAP). Annual refusals must be made in writing and must be retained in the student’s Scholastic Record. The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) requires that school divisions assess students annually in Reading and Mathematics in grades 3-8 and once in Science at the elementary and middle school level. High school students (grades 9-12) must be assessed once in Reading, Writing, Mathematics, History, and Science during their high school tenure.
A parent should consider the following important points before deciding to refuse any test:
If the student is in high school, refusing certain SOL tests could impact on-time graduation. Virginia requires verified credits to earn a standard or advanced studies diploma, and SOL tests are the most common way credits are verified.
SOL tests can be used to identify appropriate placement for the student in advanced academic, enrichment, intervention, and other programs.
If a student does not test, the school will not have academic data from the assessment to inform plans for their classroom instruction and will rely on information from other assessments and data sources.
As more students do not participate in assessments, it can become more challenging for the school to gain a clear reflection of how it is meeting the instructional needs of its students as a whole.