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Dear Irving Families,
Please see the message below regarding Virginia SOL changes and accountability.
⚠️Student Impact: Important Information About Virginia SOL Changes and Accountability
It is important that families are aware of the startling impact that new SOL cut scores (what number indicates proficiency in a subject) will have on our students. When looking at FCPS pass rates, 26% of our students who passed their math SOL in the spring of 2025 would no longer be considered passing if they took the same test with these new cut scores. For reading, it’s 28% fewer students.
During the October 23 School Board meeting, Dr. Reid shared some of the impacts that the Virginia Board of Education’s proposed changes will have on our students.
For our students in younger grades, these changes signal that their achievement now falls short, which can harm their beliefs about themselves as learners and future school success.
These changes aren’t about raising expectations for our children, they simply move the finish line for students. Raising expectations means we change the learning experience for our students, something FCPS is deeply committed to as is evidenced by our focus on increasing access to high school mathematics courses in elementary and middle school and ensuring all students have access to rigorous high school courses that prepare them for the future.
The Virginia Board of Education will be taking action on the plan to implement the changes to cut scores on November 13. Community members are able to provide feedback on these changes through November 6.
The state will also host a listening session for families on November 5 from 5:30-6:30pm where you can share your thoughts. You can join the the listening session with this information:
Link to join the meeting
Meeting ID: 230 998 444 924 3
Passcode: ui9mv9Nz
There are also several legislative changes that will take effect in the 2026-27 school year including additional requirements for SOL testing and requiring SOL testing results to count as a portion of the students final grade in middle and high school.
In addition to these cut score changes, the state is also changing how they measure schools. This means that many Virginia families will now see their schools marked as failing. Superintendent Reid explains more in this short video and greater detail can be found on the FCPS website.
We will continue to keep our community informed about these state changes that will have an impact on our students and our schools.
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