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.
Northampton County Public Schools was recognized at the Sept. 23 meeting of the Virginia Board of Education for significant three-year growth in both reading and mathematics, according to the school division.
Northampton has done something no other school division in Virginia managed this year. The Virginia Department of Education singled it out as the only division in the state to earn recognition for multi-year growth in both reading and mathematics, based on recent Standards of Learning results.
The math numbers tell much of the story. Between the 2023-24 and 2025-26 school years, Northampton’s overall pass rate jumped 19 points, a gain matched by its English learners. Students with disabilities climbed 6 points over the same stretch, evidence that the improvement wasn’t limited to students who were already doing well.
Reading has followed a steadier, three-year climb, with the sharpest gains in the earliest grades. After the division put the Virginia Literacy Act into practice, Grade 3 pass rates rose nearly 20 points (19.87). Grade 4 scores improved 6.5 points, and Grades 5 through 7 each gained between 8.49 and 8.93 points.
“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).
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Maybe she had postpartum that day.
In the end, Lacy, the architect does what the customer wants, not vice versa. If the customer wanted or could…
She apparently is not into symmetry!
The 'usual suspects' are at it again... https://shoredailynews.com/headlines/exmore-man-charged-with-felony-homicide-following-fatal-shooting-in-northampton-county/
It's canny how they made it look like an old train station!