VA Senate Democrats “Deeply Troubled” by Delay in SOL Score Release, Call for Immediate Action

From the VA Senate Democratic Caucus:

RICHMOND, VA – In response to growing concerns about the delayed release of the Standard of Learning (SOL) exam scores for Virginia’s schools, a representative from the Virginia Department of Education has announced that the scores will be released in the upcoming weeks. With the start of the 2024 academic year just around the corner, educators across Virginia face the challenge of planning for their students without this crucial data.

The Virginia Senate Democratic Caucus is deeply troubled by this delay and the potential negative impact on our public schools. With insufficient time to analyze and incorporate these results, our educators are being put at a severe disadvantage, which could affect students’ learning outcomes from the very start of the school year. Senate Democratic Caucus Chair Senator Mamie Locke, Senate Finance and Education Chair Senator Ghazala Hashmi, and Senator Stella Pekarsky have issued the following statements:

“The Virginia Department of Education’s failure to release test scores promptly is a disservice to our educators and students. I find it particularly concerning that Governor Youngkin, who has been vocal about education, is not launching an investigation into this delay. The lack of urgency in addressing this issue suggests a troubling indifference to the well-being of Virginia’s students,” said Senate Democratic Caucus Chair Mamie Locke.

“Parents, educators, and students deserve a real answer as to why VDOE had failed for a second year in a row to release SOL results in a timely manner. Assessments of student learning are meaningful when they are used appropriately to evaluate strengths and challenges. Educators will begin their school year again in the dark about the students in their classrooms. Parents are left hanging as they consider what supports and resources their student may need in order to have a successful academic year. We’ve never seen these delays before in Virginia, and they harm student learning.”, stated Senator Ghazala Hashmi, Chair of the Senate Finance and Education Committee.

“Timely access to data is critical for making informed decisions in education. The delay in releasing these scores is not just an administrative oversight; it’s a failure that could set back our students’ academic progress. We need transparency and accountability from the Department of Education to ensure this doesn’t happen again,” added Senator Stella Pekarsky.