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Richmond schools warned of large SOL cut-score increases; district plans phase-in supports
Summary
Richmond Public Schools staff told the board the state dopted a large, multiyear increase to Standards of Learning (SOL) cut scores and ESSA accountability weights. Testing manager Valenta Wade said the change is the largest single-term increase seen locally and described a phased approach and communication plan for families and principals.
Valenta Wade, manager of testing for Richmond Public Schools, told the school board that the Virginia Department of Education has adopted substantially higher cut scores for the Standards of Learning tests in reading and math and will phase the change in over multiple years. "This is by far the largest increase that we've had in 1 single term," Wade said, noting the state created an interim "approaching proficiency" level that will count as passing during the phase-in.
Why it matters: The new cut scores aim to better align SOL proficiency rates with national measures such as the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), a goal the state has signaled publicly. Board members and staff said the change will raise the bar for many students and requires new tracking and support systems so that students and schools are not penalized unfairly during the transition.
What the district said: Wade described operational impacts: retesters will retain the passing score in effect at their initial attempt, participation remains required under ESSA (95% target) and the state has proposed reducing the student-group size that counts for subgroup reporting (from 30 to 15), which can make subgroup participation rates more volatile. She warned there will be additional logistical burden for high schools, which will need to track historical test attempts for students across multiple years.
Board questions and staff response: Board members asked how the state derived the increases and whether the district should expect changes to the number or makeup of test items. Superintendent Mister Kammers and testing staff said the change reflects an effort to align SOL performance to NAEP results, and that the number and format of questions for the immediate term are not guaranteed to change. On staffing, the board discussed adding testing-coordinator capacity at the high-school level; district staff estimated a shared pool of "about 3 or 4" FTEs might be required and suggested a rough payroll range of $90,000–$100,000 with benefits to support coordinators across schools.
Next steps: District staff said they will continue to work with principals and school leaders, plan a stepped communication schedule to families (spring into next year), and seek board direction on any proposed new positions during the upcoming budget cycle. The Virginia Board of Education will meet Dec. 11 and any additional changes could follow that meeting, staff warned.
The board did not take action tonight; staff said they will return with more specific plans for communications, staffing needs and cost estimates during the budget process.
