Danville schools briefed on Virginia Board of Education's new 2025–26 SOL cut scores

Doctor Babalola, a Danville Public Schools presenter, told the school board on Oct. 2 that the Virginia Board of Education on Sept. 25 approved new 2025–26 Standards of Learning (SOL) proficiency cut scores for reading and mathematics that raise the threshold for a student to be counted as proficient.

The change reflects recently revised, more rigorous standards: Virginia adopted new math standards in 2023 and revised reading standards in 2024, and students statewide already took assessments aligned to those standards during 2024–25, Babalola said. "On 09/25/2025, the Virginia Board of Education approved the new 2025, 26 standards of learning proficiency cut scores for reading and mathematics at the state board meeting," she said.

School officials said the new cut scores increase the numeric pass point previously set at 400. For reading the new pass cut scores ranged roughly from the mid‑440s up to about 479 for some end‑of‑course (EOC) high school exams; in mathematics the new pass scores ranged about 430 to 453, with 453 noted as a particular threshold for certain high‑level courses. Babalola displayed state projections that show an initial drop in percentages labeled as proficient: for example, state projections on the slide indicated third‑grade reading proficiency falling from 67% under the old cut score to about 37% under the new cut; projected EOC reading proficiency was shown declining from 86% to about 41%.

The state plans a multi‑phase rollout of the higher cut scores over no less than four years (possible models of four or five years were shown) and will add a temporary performance band called "approaching" between basic and proficient so divisions can better track student progress toward proficiency during the transition. Babalola said the class of 2026 will remain on the current 400 proficiency standard for graduation; locally awarded verified credit and substitute tests were not being changed.

Board members asked clarifying questions about what alternate assessments qualify (Babalola: some alternatives such as WorkKeys may continue to qualify for writing but not reading), how high‑profile states handled initial drops (Babalola said examples shown included Illinois, Massachusetts and Tennessee but that the state did not provide later rebound numbers at the Sept. 25 meeting), and the timeline for a final state implementation plan (the state board was scheduled to bring a final policy implementation plan for approval on Oct. 24). "They anticipate that due to these changes that we will have drops in our overall test scores in Virginia," Babalola said, explaining the state's rationale to align SOL cut scores more closely with national measures such as NAEP.

Board members did not take action on the cut scores; the presentation was provided for information and to prompt local planning, including revised parent score reports, professional learning, and communications that Babalola said the state will supply. She noted the state will provide resources and guidance for educators and families and that divisions will have meetings with state staff to discuss impacts and supports.

The board's discussion included specific procedural clarifications: the presenter said the state intends to provide revised parent score reports that identify proficiency level, mastery areas and suggested strategies, and that additional stakeholder meetings will inform the final implementation plan brought back to the state board on Oct. 24.