NORFOLK, Va. — For the first time in two years, the Virginia Department of Education released its Standards of Learning (SOL) test results for 2021. It's the first time since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Virginia students last took these standardized exams in 2019, and the findings two years later show the toll virtual learning has taken on education in the Commonwealth.
Passing rates for statewide reading, math, and science tests have decreased among Virginia as a whole.
Here are the passing rate differences between 2019 and 2021 for each of three subjects:
- English and reading: -9
- Math: -28
- Science: -22
The SOL data, released Thursday by the VDOE, also shows the students who are considered "economically disadvantaged" experienced passing rate declines at higher rates:
- English and reading: -11
- Math: -35
- Science: -28
“Just looking at this year’s data, there’s a higher number of African American students, Hispanic students, students in poverty, and English language learners that need support," said James Lane, the Superintendent of Public Instruction.
In a Zoom telebriefing Thursday, Lane said that the lower participation numbers in SOL testing should play a part in the larger context of information. According to Lane, the state saw lower participation as a whole, but also specific demographics like African American students compared to White students.
“African American student participation -- whether through reading, math or science -- is 11 to 17 percent lower than White student participation. That has to be contextualized in declining participation," Lane said.
The Hampton Roads region mirrors these state trends. Here's a look at passing rate changes among the seven cities just for Mathematics scores:
- Virginia Beach: -19
- Chesapeake: -29
- Norfolk: -44
- Portsmouth: -40
- Suffolk: -42
- Hampton: -21
- Newport News: -38
Lane noted Virginia Beach City Public Schools in the telebriefing, saying it was a division that saw a smaller decline compared to other divisions.
“Virginia Beach was primarily virtual at the beginning. There’s room to improve but didn’t see some of the decline we saw in other school divisions," Lane said.
In May, Governor Ralph Northam directed more than $60 million in education grants to help schools bounce back from the pandemic. The latest SOL scores will give VDOE direction on where to direct resources and support to.