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Update: State legislation would make SOLs count for 10% of final grades for grades 7–12 beginning 2026–27, Danville committee told
Summary
At a Student Achievement and Accountability Committee update, Dr. Williams outlined a state legislative change (referred to in the meeting as "HP 19 57") that would make Standards of Learning (SOL) assessments count for 10% of final grades in grades 7–12 starting in 2026–27 and shift grading to a 100-point scale.
During a committee update on May 20, reported to the full board on June 5, Dr. Williams said new state legislation referenced in the meeting (referred to by the presenter as "HP 19 57") will change how the Standards of Learning (SOL) assessments are used in local grading.
Dr. Williams told the Student Achievement and Accountability Committee that, starting in the 2026–27 school year, SOL scores for grades 7 through 12 would count for 10% of students’ final course grades. The presenter said the grading scale for end-of-course tests will move from a 600-point scale to a 100-point scale and that end-of-course tests would be administered during the last two weeks of the school year. Dr. Williams also said teachers who participate in scoring assessments would receive professional development points.
The committee described the legislative changes as intended to “enhance student performance, improve teacher effectiveness, and modernize the assessment system,” as stated in the meeting. Staff emphasized the changes would take effect beginning with the 2026–27 school year and would require adjustments to grading practices and scheduling of end-of-course testing.
No formal board action on implementing local policy changes tied to the legislation was recorded at the June 5 meeting; the item was presented as an informational update from the Student Achievement and Accountability Committee.
Why this matters: changing how SOLs factor into final grades and converting scoring scales affects classroom grading, exam scheduling and potentially instruction time. The committee said the changes will require additional planning and professional development for staff.
