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Learning Standards Standards

What does a student learn in ?

Virginia sets its own course in every subject through the Standards of Learning, known to families and teachers simply as the SOLs. The state revises each subject's standards on a rolling cycle and ties them directly to the tests students sit each spring. High school works on a verified-credit model, where passing certain end-of-course SOL exams counts toward graduation alongside passing the class itself.

  • Virginia Standards of Learning
Source: Virginia Virginia Standards of Learning
The shape of K-12
A plain-language read of how the state runs school.
What students learn
Reading and math follow the SOL framework from kindergarten through high school, with steady expectations year by year and a clear handoff into Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra II. History is built around Virginia itself, with a dedicated Virginia Studies year in elementary school and a Civics and Economics course in middle school before students reach World History and U.S. History. Science runs from elementary investigations up through Biology, Chemistry, and Earth Science in high school.
How students are measured
The spring SOL tests are the main event in grades 3 through 8 for reading and math, with science added in grades 5 and 8 and history in grades 4 and 8. Shorter Growth Assessments run in fall and winter to show how students are progressing before the spring test arrives. High school students sit end-of-course SOLs in the subjects they take, earning verified credits toward graduation. A small national sample of fourth, eighth, and twelfth graders also takes NAEP every two years.
Frameworks adopted, by subject
The standards documents the state writes against in each subject.
Subject Framework Adopted Source
English Language Arts
Virginia Standards of Learning
—View
Mathematics
Virginia Standards of Learning
—View
Science
Virginia Standards of Learning
—View
Social Studies
Virginia Standards of Learning
—View
Assessments
The tests students take across K-12, grouped by purpose.

Other

Tests that do not fit the buckets above.

State Summative

SOL Reading (Grades 3-8)

Standards of Learning reading assessment for grades 3 through 8.

When given:
spring
Frequency:
annual
Official source
State Summative

SOL Mathematics (Grades 3-8)

Standards of Learning mathematics assessment for grades 3 through 8.

When given:
spring
Frequency:
annual
Official source
State Through Year

Virginia Growth Assessment: Reading

Shorter computer-adaptive reading growth assessments for grades 3 through 8, administered during the school year in addition to spring SOL tests.

When given:
fall and winter
Frequency:
twice per year
Official source
State Through Year

Virginia Growth Assessment: Mathematics

Shorter computer-adaptive mathematics growth assessments for grades 3 through 8, administered during the school year in addition to spring SOL tests.

When given:
fall and winter
Frequency:
twice per year
Official source
State Summative

SOL Science (Grades 5 and 8)

Standards of Learning science assessment in grades 5 and 8.

When given:
spring
Frequency:
annual
Official source
State Summative

SOL History and Social Science

Standards of Learning history and social science assessments, including Virginia Studies and Civics and Economics.

When given:
spring
Frequency:
annual
Official source
State Summative

SOL End-of-Course: Reading and Writing

High school end-of-course reading and writing assessments used for verified credit toward graduation.

When given:
end-of-course
Frequency:
by course completion
Official source
State Summative

SOL End-of-Course: Mathematics

High school end-of-course mathematics assessments, including Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra II.

When given:
end-of-course
Frequency:
by course completion
Official source
State Summative

SOL End-of-Course: Science

High school end-of-course science assessments, including Biology, Chemistry, and Earth Science.

When given:
end-of-course
Frequency:
by course completion
Official source
State Summative

SOL End-of-Course: History and Social Science

High school end-of-course history and social science assessments, including World History, World Geography, and Virginia and U.S. History.

When given:
end-of-course
Frequency:
by course completion
Official source
Alternate assessment

Virginia Alternate Assessment Program

Alternate assessment program for eligible students with significant cognitive disabilities, covering state-tested grades and subjects.

When given:
state testing window
Frequency:
annual
Official source
National Monitoring

NAEP (National Assessment of Educational Progress)

Federally administered sample-based assessment in reading, mathematics, science, writing, and other subjects. NAEP results inform state-by-state comparisons rather than individual student or school accountability.

When given:
biennial in winter
Frequency:
every two years
Official source
Browse by grade and subject
Pick a cell to see exactly what students learn that year.
Subjects covered
4
Grade levels
13
Standards on file
5,288
Assessments tracked
12
Common questions
  • Does this state use Common Core?

    No. The state writes its own Standards of Learning, usually called the SOLs, for reading, math, science, and history. They cover the same core subjects as Common Core but were developed separately and are reviewed on the state's own schedule.

  • What is the spring SOL test, and who takes it?

    The SOLs are the state's spring tests. Students in grades 3 through 8 take reading and math, with science added in grades 5 and 8 and history added in grades 4 and 8. High school students take end-of-course SOLs in subjects like Algebra I, Biology, and U.S. History to earn verified credits toward graduation.

  • What are the Growth Assessments students take in the fall and winter?

    Students in grades 3 through 8 take shorter computer-adaptive reading and math checks in the fall and winter. They are meant to show progress during the year and help teachers adjust instruction before the spring SOL.

  • Which subjects have official state standards?

    Four: English, math, science, and history and social science. Other subjects like art, music, world languages, health, and physical education have state guidance, but the SOLs and the spring tests focus on those four core areas.

  • How often do the standards change?

    The Board of Education reviews each subject on a rolling cycle, usually every seven years or so. Reading and math were the most recently revised, and science and history follow on their own timelines, so the version in use can differ by subject.

Sources
Every page link goes back to the state's own document.

Frameworks

Assessments