VA Students Make Modest Gains In Math And Reading, But Achievement Gaps Remain

Virginia students made modest gains in math and reading during the 2025-26 academic year as schools continued a yearslong recovery from pandemic-era learning losses, according to Standards of Learning test results released Tuesday.

Statewide pass rates increased 0.4 percentage points in both math and reading compared with the previous school year. Overall, 72 percent of students passed the reading SOL tests in grades 3-8, while 69 percent passed the math SOL tests.

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The Virginia Department of Education said 53 school divisions improved their pass rates in both subjects. Alexandria was among 10 divisions statewide that posted at least a 5 percentage-point gain in math.

The latest results continue a broader improvement since the pandemic. Over the past five years, statewide reading proficiency has increased by 5 percentage points, while math proficiency has climbed by 19 percentage points, according to officials.

However, state officials said significant achievement gaps remain. Economically disadvantaged students, English learners, Black students and Hispanic students each posted reading gains larger than the statewide increase, but disparities in proficiency persist among student groups.

Middle school math was another area of concern. Seventh-grade math pass rates fell 1.45 percentage points, while eighth-grade rates declined 1 percentage point.

At the same time, more seventh- and eighth-graders took advanced high school math courses instead of their grade-level SOLs. Among middle school students taking high school-level math tests, 95 percent passed.

Students also showed gains in areas beyond math and reading. History and social sciences recorded the largest improvement, with pass rates increasing 3.2 percentage points. Science pass rates declined slightly, by 0.2 percentage points.

For end-of-course exams, 85 percent of students passed Algebra I, Algebra II or Geometry tests, while 86 percent passed reading and 75 percent passed Earth Science, Biology or Chemistry tests.

Additional data 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 Virginia Board of Education on Wednesday.