VIRGINIA BEACH — High School students will be relieved to hear that because of changes at the state and federal levels they are now having to take fewer Standards of Learning tests.
“Previously any student in a high school end-of-course class where there was an associated SOL test took the test – no matter what. It didn’t matter how many verified credits they had, everybody took the SOL tests,” said Tracy LaGatta, director of student assessment for Virginia Beach City Public Schools. “The new system states that all of the same courses have the same SOL tests attached. However, high school students only have to take the test if they need it for verified credit or if it is mandated by federal law, the Every Student Succeeds Act, which requires that students take an SOL for biology, math (algebra I) and reading.”
Verified credit requirements are posted on the Virginia Department of Education’s website.
Standard diploma requirements are listed on one page and advanced diploma requirements are posted on another.
The biggest difference for the SOL test requirements will be in the advanced diploma verified credits, LaGatta said.
Here, beginning with current first time ninth-graders, five verified credits are now required compared to nine for previous graduating classes.
In the standard diploma, the difference is only one less verified credit, according to a news release from Virginia Beach City Public Schools.
To learn more about these changes, click here.
