Virginia's Student Assessment Summary
Virginia provides longitudinal SOL performance reports for families
Virginia's Student Success Summary report offers families a way to view Standards of Learning (SOL) test performance over multiple years. The report is generated by the Virginia Visualization and Analytics Solution (VVAAS) and is delivered to families by their local school division by June 30, 2023. Viewing several years of SOL test history along with course marks can provide context when engaging with a student's teacher and school.
- VVAAS Student Success Summary reports include each student's SOL test history from school year 2015-16 through 2021-22. The report does not include results for students' more recent test performance from school year 2022-23 or later.
- VVAAS Student Success Summary reports display SOL performance using the state percentile. The state percentile tells how the student ranked compared to all other students in Virginia who took the same test that year. The state percentile is not the same as the SOL scaled score for the test.
FCPS Report Distribution Plan
The week of June 12, Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) will distribute individual students' VVAAS Student Assessment Summary reports to families. Each student's report will come with a FCPS cover letter and Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) cover letter.
- Families with a FCPS Student Information System (SIS) ParentVUE account will find the VVAAS Student Assessment Summary posted to the ParentVUE Documents section
- Families without a SIS ParentVUE account will receive the VVAAS Student Assessment Summary via U.S. Mail.
FCPS Cover Letter for VVAAS Student Assessment Summary Reports
The FCPS cover letter provides quick reference for important facts to know about the contents of the VVAAS Student Assessment Summary report.
FULL TEXT - VVAAS Student Assessment Summary Report - FCPS Cover Letter
VIRGINIA VISUALIZATION AND ANALYTICS SOLUTION (VVAAS) STUDENT ASSESSMENT SUMMARY REPORT
Dear Parent(s)/Guardian(s):
The Virginia Department of Education official VVAAS Student Assessment Summary Report included with this letter displays results for Standards of Learning (SOL) tests your student took between school year 2015-16 and school year 2021-22. This report does NOT include results from the most recent 2022-23 school year. With this report, you can learn about your student’s historical SOL performance.
Your student’s historical results are presented in a line graph and chart showing the state percentile for each completed SOL test. The percentile tells you where your student ranked compared to all other students in Virginia who took the same test that year. The percentile is NOT your student’s SOL score for the test. The report does NOT provide your student’s SOL score.
-- The line graph can show you trends in your student’s state percentile by subject area. Viewing several years of test history along with year-end grades can help determine subject areas of strength or areas where additional support may be needed.
--The chart gives your student’s test percentile and performance level for each SOL test under the grade level heading. The performance level indicates whether your student’s test score was passing or failing.
For more information about the VVAAS Student Assessment Summary Report, please visit the webpage at https://www.fcps.edu/node/47700.
PRINTABLE PDF TRANSLATIONS - VVAAS Student Assessment Summary Report - FCPS Cover Letter
VDOE Cover Letter for VVAAS Student Assessment Summary Reports
The VDOE cover letter provides an explanation of the information provided in the VVAAS Student Assessment Summary report.
FULL TEXT - VVAAS Student Assessment Summary Report - VDOE Cover Letter
COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA - DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Dear Parent/Guardian:
The Virginia Department of Education, along with your local school division, is pleased to provide a new individualized report of your child's SOL testing history called the Student Assessment Summary report. This report is part of the new VVAAS (Virginia's Visualization and Analytics Solution) system that provides information to further support students. With this report, you can learn about your child's SOL performance over time and any patterns that may be present in your child's testing history. This report will also allow you to see how your child's performance compares to other students in the Commonwealth who took the same test.
While the Student Assessment Summary report was created as an easy-to-understand document, the VDOE has prepared this parent resources webpage https://www.doe.virginia.gov/VVAAS-Parent-Resources.
Understanding your child's unique historical performance on state tests can help you identify what additional supports may be needed or where acceleration may be possible. This report, along with yearend grades and the 2023 SOL test results that you have or will soon receive from your child's school are key pieces of information when partnering with your child's teacher and school.
Every school in Virginia and the Virginia Department of Education know how important a strong relationship is with parents and hope the Student Assessment Summary report will provide a clear picture of how the 1.25 million students in the Commonwealth are performing. If your child's report shows areas of deficiency or concern, you are encouraged to reach out to your child's school to further discuss the data and work together to develop a plan of action for improvement.
The Virginia Department of Education has also established $30 million in Learning Acceleration Grants that parents can access to assist their child. The learning grants will provide up to $1,500 or $3,000 based on income for student tutoring and other educational services. Funds from the K-12 Learning Acceleration Grant are then paid directly to the tutor or service provider that a family chooses. Families can pick tutors that meet their needs from a list of approved tutoring providers. There is no out of pocket expense for our families for these services. For more information visit: https://doe.virginia.gov/k12grants.
The Virginia Department of Education and your local school division are committed to providing additional reports in the future that give you transparent, actionable data to build the best partnerships possible in educating our Commonwealth's children.
Sincerely,
Lisa Coons, Ed.D.
PRINTABLE PDF TRANSLATIONS - VVAAS Student Assessment Summary Report - VDOE Cover Letter
View details from the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE)
VDOE Resources for Understanding VVAAS Student Assessment Summary Reports
The VDOE's VVAAS Resources for Parents webpage provides a number of informative resources intended to help families understand the VVAAS Student Assessment Summary reports.
Translations of VDOE Resources for Understanding VVAAS Student Assessment Summary Reports
Because the VDOE resources are only available in English, FCPS requested permission to generate local translations of these VDOE documents. The expanding links below provide the full text of the VDOE resources and printable PDF translations, produced by FCPS Language Services
VDOE RESOURCE - Understanding the VVAAS Student Assessment Summary
What does the line graph show?
- The line graph shows your student's state percentile for each completed Standards of Learning (SOL) test. The graph summarizes how your student performed in comparison to other students across the state on the same test in a specific year.
- The Student Assessment Summary Report is offering families and school personnel the ability to see SOL test comparison information for the first time.
- The line graph can show you trends in your student’s SOL test performance at a point in time or in a specific subject. Look to see if your student’s state percentiles are in an upward trending, downward trending, or showing consistency over several years.
What does the chart explain about your student’s SOL test performance?
- The chart shows your student's state percentile and the SOL performance level for each completed test. It also lists the SOL test name under each grade level.
- The performance level indicates if your student earned a passing or failing score.
- Passing (Pass/Proficient and Pass/Advanced) indicates your student met or exceeded expectations for proficiency on the test and demonstrated a level of mastery of the content.
- A failing performance level (Fail, Fail/Basic, Fail/Below Basic) indicates your student did not meet the minimum expectations for proficiency on the test and would benefit from additional instruction.
- Reviewing several years of testing history may assist in determining content areas of strength or areas where additional support is needed.
What patterns should I see while viewing the report?
- A student’s patterns can be upward trending, downward trending, or showing consistency across state percentiles as seen in the line graph.
- The chart will identify the performance level of each SOL test in each grade allowing you to see trends in the performance levels of Fail/Basic, Pass/Proficient, or Pass/Advanced.
- View the Elementary School Sample of a 5th Grader which includes SOL tests from 3rd – 4th grade to learn more about interpreting the report.
- View the Middle School Sample of an 8th Grader which includes SOL tests from 3rd – 7th grade to learn more about interpreting the report.
- View the High School Sample of a 12th Grader which includes SOL tests from 5th – 11th grade to learn more about interpreting the report.
What are the next steps I could take if I have questions?
- If you have questions about your student’s progress, please contact their school or division leadership.
PRINTABLE PDF TRANSLATIONS
VDOE RESOURCE - Elementary Sample - Understanding the Student Assessment Summary
FULL TEXT - VDOE Resource
The Elementary School Sample shows and example for a current 5th grade student. Because the VVAAS Student Assessment Summary report only includes data through school year 2021-22, this 5th grader's report shows SOL performance from tests taken while in grades 3-4.
Understanding the Elementary School Student Assessment Summary Report
What patterns should I see while viewing the report?
Reviewing several years of testing history may assist in determining content areas of strength or areas where additional support is needed.
The line graph shows your student's state percentile for each completed Standards of Learning (SOL) test. The graph summarizes how your student performed in comparison to other students across the state on the same test in a specific year. The line graph can show you trends in your student’s SOL test performance at a point in time or in a specific subject.
- Look to see if your student’s state percentiles are in an upward trending, downward trending, or showing consistency over several years.
The chart shows your student's state percentile and the SOL performance level for each completed test. It also lists the SOL test name under each grade level. The performance level indicates if your student earned a passing or failing score.
- Passing (Pass/Proficient and Pass/Advanced) indicates your student met or exceeded expectations for proficiency on the test and demonstrated a level of mastery of the content.
- A failing performance level (Fail, Fail/Basic, Fail/Below Basic) indicates your student did not meet the minimum expectations for proficiency on the test and would benefit from additional instruction.
What can I learn about the student in the Elementary School Example 1 report?
This student has taken a few SOL tests. The trends in the student’s assessment history are:
- An increase in state percentiles in Math and Reading from 3rd grade to 4th grade.
- The student earned a passing score on the 3rd and 4th SOL tests.
Student Assessment Summary Elementary sample student 1
What can I learn about the student in the Elementary School Example 2 report?
This student has taken a few SOL Tests. The trends in the student’s assessment history are:
- A consistent percentile in Reading and Math for 3rd grade and 4th SOL tests.
- The student earned a passing score on 3rd-grade and 4th-grade SOL tests in Reading and Social Studies.
- The student did not earn a passing score on 3rd and 4th-grade SOL tests in Math.
Student Assessment Summary Elementary sample student 2
What can I learn about the student in the Elementary School Example 3 report?
This student has taken a few SOL tests. The trends in the student’s assessment history are:
- A consistent decrease in state percentiles in all subjects from 3rd grade to 4th grade.
- The student earned a passing score on the 3rd SOL tests in Math and Reading and the 4th grade Social Studies SOL test.
- The student did not earn a passing score on the 4th grade SOL tests in Math and Reading.
Student Assessment Summary Elementary sample student 2
PRINTABLE PDF TRANSLATIONS
VDOE RESOURCE - Middle School Sample - Understanding the Student Assessment Summary
FULL TEXT - VDOE Resource
The Middle School Sample shows and example for a current 8th grade student. Because the VVAAS Student Assessment Summary report only includes data through school year 2021-22, this 8th grader's report shows SOL performance from tests taken while in grades 3-7.
Understanding the Middle School Student Assessment Summary Report
What patterns should I see while viewing the report?
Reviewing several years of testing history may assist in determining content areas of strength or areas where additional support is needed.
The line graph shows your student's state percentile for each completed Standards of Learning (SOL) test. The graph summarizes how your student performed in comparison to other students across the state on the same test in a specific year. The line graph can show you trends in your student’s SOL test performance at a point in time or in a specific subject.
- Look to see if your student’s state percentiles are in an upward trending, downward trending, or showing consistency over several years.
The chart shows your student's state percentile and the SOL performance level for each completed test. It also lists the SOL test name under each grade level. The performance level indicates if your student earned a passing or failing score.
- Passing (Pass/Proficient and Pass/Advanced) indicates your student met or exceeded expectations for proficiency on the test and demonstrated a level of mastery of the content.
- A failing performance level (Fail, Fail/Basic, Fail/Below Basic) indicates your student did not meet the minimum expectations for proficiency on the test and would benefit from additional instruction.
Below are three sample Middle School Student Assessment Summary reports with a few statements under each to help you identify patterns and understand the report information.
What can I learn about the student in the Middle School Example 1 report?
This student has taken several SOL tests. The trends in the student’s assessment history are:
- A decrease in state percentiles in Math and Reading from 3rd grade to 7th grade.
- The student earned a passing score on the 3rd and 4th SOL tests.
- The student did not earn a passing score on the G7 Mathematics or G7 Reading SOL tests.
Student Assessment Summary Report Middle School Example 1
What can I learn about the student in the Middle School Example 2 report?
This student has taken several SOL tests. The trends in the student’s assessment history are:
- A consistently high state percentile in Reading and Math from across all tested grades.
- The student has earned a passing score on all SOL tests.
Student Assessment Summary Report Middle School Example 2
What can I learn about the student in the Middle School Example 3 report?
This student has taken many SOL tests. The trends in the student’s assessment history are:
- A consistent state percentile in all subjects from across all tested grades.
- The student has earned a passing score on all SOL tests.
Student Assessment Summary Report Middle School Example 3
PRINTABLE PDF TRANSLATIONS
VDOE RESOURCE - High School Sample - Understanding the Student Assessment Summary
FULL TEXT - VDOE Resource
The High School Sample shows and example for a current 12th grade student. Because the VVAAS Student Assessment Summary report only includes data for school year 2015-16 through school year 2021-22, this 12th grader's report shows SOL performance from tests taken while in grades 5-11.
Understanding the High School Student Assessment Summary Report
What patterns should I see while viewing the report?
Reviewing several years of testing history may assist in determining content areas of strength or areas where additional support is needed.
The line graph shows your student's state percentile for each completed Standards of Learning (SOL) test. The graph summarizes how your student performed in comparison to other students across the state on the same test in a specific year. The line graph can show you trends in your student’s SOL test performance at a point in time or in a specific subject.
- Look to see if your student’s state percentiles are in an upward trending, downward trending, or showing consistency over several years.
The chart shows your student's state percentile and the SOL performance level for each completed test. It also lists the SOL test name under each grade level. The performance level indicates if your student earned a passing or failing score.
- Passing (Pass/Proficient and Pass/Advanced) indicates your student met or exceeded expectations for proficiency on the test and demonstrated a level of mastery of the content.
A failing performance level (Fail, Fail/Basic, Fail/Below Basic) indicates your student did not meet the minimum expectations for proficiency on the test and would benefit from additional instruction.
Below are three sample High School Student Assessment Summary reports with a few statements under each to help you identify patterns and understand the report information.
What can I learn about the student in the High School Example 1 report?
This student has taken many SOL tests. The trends in the student’s assessment history are:
- An increase in state percentiles in Math and Reading from 6th grade – 8th grade.
- A consistent state percentile on the Grade 5 Science SOL and Grade 8 Science SOL with a decrease in 10th grade.
- A decrease in Writing from the Gr8 Writing test to the EOC Writing test administered in 10th grade.
- The student has earned a passing score on all Math, Reading, Science, and Social Studies SOL tests.
- The student did not earn a passing score on the Gr8 Writing or Gr10 Writing SOL test.
Student Assessment Summary High School sample student 1
What can I learn about the student in the High School Example 2 report?
This student has taken many SOL tests and is an example of a student in a block schedule for grades 6-8. Students on a block schedule take four courses in the fall and four courses in the spring. The trends in the student’s assessment history are:
- A consistently high state percentile in Reading, Writing, Science, and Social Studies from across all tested grades.
- A decrease in Math from 7th grade to 8th grade.
- The student has earned a passing score on all SOL tests.
- The student has earned many Pass/Advanced scores in multiple subjects.
Student Assessment Summary High School sample student 2
What can I learn about the student in the High School Example 3 report?
This student has taken many SOL tests. The trends in the student’s assessment history are:
- A general decrease in state percentiles for all subjects from 5th grade – 11th grade.
- The student has earned a passing score on all Math, Reading, Writing, and Social Studies SOL tests.
- The student has not earned a passing score on the G8 Science or EOC Biology SOL test.
Student Assessment Summary High School sample student 3
PRINTABLE PDF TRANSLATIONS
VDOE RESOURCE - Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) About the Student Assessment Summary
Why did my student not receive a Student Assessment Summary?
Student Assessment Summary is not available if the student:
- did not attend a Virginia public school last year,
- has not taken a Standards of Learning test while in Virginia schools,
- changed division or school after VDOE enrollment data was collected in January 2023.
What test results are included on the Student Assessment Summary?
The Virginia Department of Education collects and provides student testing history to VVAAS by mid-August each year. All of the SOL tests your student completes by the end of the spring testing window, typically late June, will be included in the report. For example, the Spring 2023 report includes testing history from the 2015-16 school year through the Spring 2022.
A student's report might display a performance level from a previous test attempt if the student has retaken an SOL test after the data has been provided to VVAAS.
A student’s report might not have data for a test if
- the student did not attend a Virginia public school that year,
- a parent or student refused an SOL test,
- an exception was applied. Many exemptions were applied in 2020 because of the pandemic.
What tests are included in the report?
The data in this report reflect your student's performance on the SOL test(s).
Note: This report contains your student’s entire SOL testing history. The education provided and testing location could be different from the currently enrolled division or school.
What are performance levels and what do they mean?
Performance levels provide classifications for student performance on SOL tests and the specific performance levels for SOL tests are listed below.
Grades 3-8 Reading and Mathematics SOL tests have four performance levels (listed from highest performance level to lowest performance level):
- Pass/Advanced
- Pass/Proficient
- Fail/Basic
- Fail/Below Basic
Science, History, Writing, End of Course (EOC) Mathematics and EOC Reading SOL tests have three performance levels (listed from highest performance level to lowest performance level):
- Pass/Advanced
- Pass/Proficient
- Fail
Note: End of Course (EOC) Writing (2010 Standards), EOC Reading (2010 Standards), and EOC Algebra II (2009 Standards) have a performance level of Advanced/College Path in place of the Pass/Advanced performance level.
Performance Level Descriptors (PLDs) define the specific set of knowledge and skills that students are expected to demonstrate to be classified into a performance level. Information about PLDs for SOL tests is available on the VDOE website at this location, Performance Level Descriptors.
What trends in my student’s test results may be a reason to contact the school?
Every student is different; they have different trends and educational experiences. You can contact your student's school if they are not earning a Pass/Proficient or higher performance level on a consistent basis, or in a specific subject to explore options to support your child's academic growth in these areas.
Does this report indicate if your student is on track to graduate?
Virginia students must earn 5 verified credits to meet high school graduation requirements. Knowing your student's SOL testing history and end-of-year grade for specific courses can help families and school counselors make important decisions to ensure a student meets graduation requirements. Read more about VDOE Graduation Requirements.
I have more than one student and they earned the same scale score on the SOL, why is the state percentile different?
State percentiles are calculated in VVAAS each year for each SOL test. Students are only compared to other students who also took that test in the same year. Students who took the test in different years can have different state percentiles even if they earned the same score on the SOL test.
PRINTABLE PDF TRANSLATIONS
VDOE RESOURCE - Glossary for the Student Assessment Summary
The glossary will support your understanding of terms used on the Student Assessment Summary Report and the FAQ.
State Percentile
State Percentiles are helpful for comparing students who took the same test during a school year. It will tell you where your student ranked for a particular test in a particular year in comparison to all the other students in the state who also took the test that year. The percentile that you see on this report is NOT your student's score on the SOL test, but rather how your student scored compared to all others taking that same SOL test in the same year.
- Instead of talking about the number correct or the number of answers correct, a percentile shows how a student’s score compares to all of the other student’s scores on the same test. When looking at the full range of scores for a test, a student who scored higher than 75% of all of the students, meaning the student scores at the 75th percentile. Scoring at the 75th percentile does not mean that they have a percentage of 75% correct.
- How State Percentiles are calculated: By definition, the percentiles range from 1 to 99, and the median score is defined as 50 for each assessment. For example, a score of 450 on the Grade 5 Reading SOL test could correspond to the 60th percentile. Which means, that a student who scored 450 had a higher score than 60% of the test-takers on the Grade 5 Reading SOL test. A score of 450 on another test or another year would likely correspond to a different percentile because it was administered to a different set of students.
VVAAS – Virginia Visualization and Analytics Solution
VVAAS – Virginia Visualization and Analytics Solution is a data tool purchased by the VDOE to support all PK-12 school divisions in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
SOL Test
Standards of Learning tests measure the success of students in meeting the Board of Education’s expectations for learning and achievement on the Standards of Learning. All items on SOL tests are reviewed by Virginia classroom teachers for accuracy and fairness, and teachers also assist the Virginia Board of Education in setting proficiency standards for the tests.
The Standards of Learning (SOL) for Virginia Public Schools establish minimum expectations for what students should know and be able to do at the end of each grade or course in English, Mathematics, Science, History, Social Science, and other subjects.
Performance Level
Performance levels provide classifications for student performance on Standards of Learning (SOL) tests.
Chart Header Key
- SOL # - The header indicates the grade the student took the SOL Test.
- SP – The test was completed in the Spring administration window.
- F – The test was completed in the Fall administration window.