Standards of Learning Test Participation Drops In Alexandria

ALEXANDRIA, VA — Alexandria and Virginia as a whole saw declining participation in the spring 2021 Standards of Learning (SOL) tests. The Virginia Department of Education released results Thursday.

The SOL tests are federally required, but less students participated due to more flexible opt-outs granted to families who express concerns about COVID-19. Students are required to take the SOL assessments in person for the purpose of maintaining testing security protocols. SOL testing had been canceled in the 2019-2020 school year.

The Virginia Department of Education also attributed the participation decline to a waiver of state accreditation for 2021-2022 and flexibility for awarding students verified credits for graduation from the Board of Education.

At ACPS, 60 percent of eligible students participated in the spring 2021 SOL tests. In past years, the school division had participation above 98 percent.

The SOL pass rates for ACPS for all participating students were 57 percent for reading, 82 percent for writing, 44 percent for history and social science, 39 percent for mathematics and 43 percent for science.

The statewide pass rates were 69 percent for reading, 69 percent for writing, 54 percent for history and social science, 54 percent for mathematics and 59 percent for science.

"While we had significantly fewer students participating in the spring 2021 Standards of Learning assessments, the data reflect areas for academic support," said ACPS chief of teaching, learning and leadership Terri Mozingo. "As we return to in-person learning this fall, our teachers and staff are focused on addressing the needs of all students and ensuring each student can thrive in our learning environments."

ACPS will analyze fall SOL results to determine immediate social, emotional and academic learning needs of students. Most of its pandemic relief funds through the American Rescue Plan's ESSER Fund III are being used to enhance existing programs to recover, support and accelerate social, emotional and academic learning.

Due to lower participation than previous years, the Virginia Department of Education and Alexandria City Public Schools say comparing this year's SOL results to past years would not be accurate. The state's education department said pass rates are impacted by instruction disruptions, decreased participation in the tests, enrollment declines, fewer retakes and more flexible opt-outs.

"Virginia’s 2020-2021 SOL test scores tell us what we already knew—students need to be in the classroom without disruption to learn effectively," said Virginia Superintendent of Public Instruction James Lane in a statement. "The connections, structures, and supports our school communities provide are irreplaceable, and many students did not have access to in person instruction for the full academic year. We must now focus on unfinished learning and acceleration to mitigate the impact the pandemic has had on student results."

The results are for informational purposes and will not impact federal or state accountability systems due to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Virginia Department of Education is giving all schools an "accreditation waived" rating for the 2020-2021 school year.

At the state level, the latest SOL results will " inform initiatives and policies to help schools and students recover from the disruptions to teaching and learning caused by COVID-19," according to the Virginia Department of Education. On the school division level, results provide insight into where students are excelling, and where they are struggling to adjust instruction and supports to meet individual academic needs.

Full SOL results are available on the state and local level on the Virginia Department of Education website.