The latest Standards of Learning test scores are in. And there have been some modest gains by Virginia’s students, along with areas of needed improvement.
The statewide reading and math scores for the 2025-2026 school year jumped by four-tenths of a percentage point each compared to the previous year.
Officials with the Virginia Department of Education say those improvements are in line with a longer, post-pandemic recovery the state’s students have been working towards.
History and social science pass rates increased by more than three points. However, science rates actually decreased by two tenths of a percentage point.
There is need for a renewed focus on middle school students in math specifically as well. The figures show minor decreases for 7th and 8th graders on their math tests.
However, it’s not all bad news there — the number of students in those grades taking advanced high school math increased, and the vast majority of those children passed their end-of-course assessments.
Here's the entire statement from the Virginia Department of Education:
RICHMOND, Va. — Results from Standards of Learning (SOL) assessments taken by Virginia students during the 2025-2026 school year reflect incremental increases in pass rates on statewide math and reading assessments as compared to the prior school year. Statewide, these small increases in proficiency from the prior school year, 0.4 percentage points in math and 0.4 in reading, were shared broadly across divisions, grade level tests and student groups. These results are part of a longer trend of post-pandemic recovery over the last 5 years, in which Virginia students have increased reading proficiency rates by 5 percentage points, and math by 19.
Most student groups made modest progress as well. In reading, economically disadvantaged students, English learners, Black students, and Hispanic students all increased proficiency rates more than the statewide average gain of 0.4 percentage points. However, significant achievement gaps between different student groups continue to persist and must drive urgent attention and investments to support educators in helping all students meet Virginia’s high expectations.
“Today’s statewide assessment results reflect progress in our classrooms, with combined math and reading scores of students in grades 3–8 rising slightly across the state,” said Secretary of Education, Dr. Jeffery Smith. “Behind the numbers are the dedicated efforts of thousands of students, educators, and families working hard every day to strengthen foundational literacy and numeracy skills. We also know that a lot of hard work is ahead of us, and I am convinced that together, we will continue to address learning gaps.”
When taken in a broader context, the statewide assessment results released today reveal an encouraging trend of academic recovery, with math and reading pass rates for students demonstrating steady, year-over-year gains over the past five years following pandemic-related learning disruptions. Driven by targeted state investments in high-dosage tutoring, evidence-based reading curricula through the Virginia Literacy Act, and expanded classroom support, proficiency rates have made a sustained comeback toward pre-pandemic benchmarks. This progress has also occurred while Virginia has implemented revised, more rigorous Standards of Learning in math and English. This multi-year upward trajectory highlights the resilience of students and the relentless efforts of educators across the state to bridge instructional gaps and rebuild foundational skill sets.
“This modest progress proves that our targeted investments in high-dosage tutoring, updated instructional materials, and educator support are delivering real results for students,” said Superintendent of Public Instruction, Jenna Conway. “We know there is still work ahead to ensure every child develops the knowledge and skills needed to be successful anywhere, but this growth demonstrates that our schools are moving in the right direction. We will continue using this information to inform targeted and meaningful support for our students' long-term academic success."
While small gains in proficiency rates were broadly shared across grades and divisions, the data also reveals specific areas needing focused attention to ensure more students reach proficiency in all content areas. Despite statewide improvements in SOL pass rates across each of the elementary grades in math, middle school math results illustrated a need for renewed focus with minor decreases in overall pass rates in grade 7 math (1.45 percentage points) and grade 8 math (1.00 percentage points). However, it should be noted that the percentage of grade 7 and 8 students taking advanced high school math and associated end-of-course math tests instead of the grade 7 and 8 math SOL tests increased during the same time. 95% of middle school students taking an end-of-course high school math test passed in 2025-2026, an increase of almost 1 percentage point from the prior year.
Outside of math and reading results, history and social sciences pass rates improved most significantly, at 3.2 percentage points between 2024-2025 and 2025-2026; however, the same progress was not seen in science pass rates, which saw a nominal decrease (0.2 percentage points).
Results Summary:
When comparing pass rates from the 2024-2025 school year and the 2025-2026 school year:
Exemplar Divisions Improving Student Achievement in Math and Reading
- 53 school divisions achieved increases in both math and reading pass rates.
- 72 divisions maintained or improved their pass rates in reading.
- 75 divisions maintained or improved their pass rates in math.
- Of the 53 school divisions, 3 divisions achieved a 5-point gain in reading, 10 divisions achieved a 5-point gain in math, and 9 divisions achieved at least a 3-point gain in both reading and math.
- 5-point gain in reading: Alleghany Highlands, Giles, and Rockingham
- 5-point gain in math: Accomack, Alexandria, Amelia, Bland, Clarke, Cumberland, Danville, Fredericksburg, Lexington, and Middlesex
- 3-point gain in both reading and math: Accomack, Bland, Clarke, Danville, Dickenson, Goochland, Henry, Lunenburg, and Rockingham
Statewide Grades 3-8 Reading SOL Results
- In reading, 72% of students passed grades 3-8 reading SOLs.
Statewide Grades 3-8 Math SOL Results
- In math, 69% of students passed grades 3-8 math SOLs.
Statewide End-of-Course SOL Results
- In math, 85% of students passed Algebra I, Algebra II, or Geometry tests.
- In reading, students showed a slight increase in SOL pass rates with 86% of students passing.
- In science, 75% of students passed science end-of-courses tests in Earth Science, Biology, or Chemistry.
SOL Results for Divisions and Schools
Additional data on the performance of students on the 2025-2026 assessments — including grade-level and course-specific pass rates for schools, school divisions, and the commonwealth — is available on the VDOE website. VDOE staff will present the results to the Board of Education on Wednesday August 26, 2026. The Department’s School Quality Profile reports will be updated in the coming weeks.
School Performance and Support Framework (SPSF) Results Release coming in October 2026
VDOE will release 2025-2026 school accountability results, also known as the School Performance and Support Framework, in October 2026. The SPSF ratings include multiple indicators of school quality and student achievement, including mastery, growth in reading and mathematics, readiness, and high school graduation rates.
