Virginia Department of Education Releases 2018 SOL Results
APS to be Fully Accredited for Fourth Consecutive Year
Today, the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) released 2018 SOL results for all public school divisions and schools. Students in Arlington Public Schools (APS) continue to pass the Virginia Standards of Learning (SOL) tests at high rates and their performance aligns with trends across the state.
Some key highlights include the following:
- Based on preliminary estimates, all APS schools will be fully accredited for the fourth year in a row.*
- In 2018, APS schools met or exceeded the state pass rates on 25 of 29 assessments, across all grade levels and subjects. APS also exceeded the state pass rates by more than 5 percentage points on 11 of the assessments. (Table 1)
- Overall, writing scores remained constant, and the pass rates increased for Black students and Economically Disadvantaged students.
Superintendent Dr. Patrick Murphy said, “These results reflect the continued dedication of our teachers and staff who focus on ensuring that the individual needs of all students and families are being met. I recognize that partnerships with families and community organizations will further strengthen our efforts to ensure success for all students; a core focus of our 2018-24 Strategic Plan.”
In response to the Virginia Board of Education’s vision of continuous improvement for all schools and to ensure that student outcomes are aligned with the expectations of higher education and employers, VDOE has updated the Standards of Accreditation. The standards are focused on:
- Progress toward proficiency
- Narrowing achievement gaps
- Reducing absenteeism and dropout rates
Preliminary accreditation results for all APS schools indicate strong academic achievement in all APS schools and align with the APS Strategic Plan goal to continue our focus to eliminate achievement gaps for all student groups. (Figure 1)
State SOL assessments were given to all students in Grades 3 through 8 in English Language Arts (Reading/Writing), Math, Science and Social Studies, and in high school core subjects assessed by end-of-course exams.
A few years ago, the Virginia Board of Education adopted more rigorous standards to meet national and international benchmarks for college-and-career readiness and better prepare Virginia students to compete in a global economy.
* Finalized state accreditation reports, including student group and annual measurable objective (AMO) data, will be issued by VDOE on September 27, along with updated School Quality Profiles.
