Virginia School Divisions Reported Mixed Exam Results
Local school districts saw varying performance in math and reading on recent state assessments.
Updated on Oct. 5, 2026 in Secondary Education
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The Virginia Department of Education released 2025-26 Standards of Learning exam results, revealing performance shifts across several school divisions. While many areas experienced declines in mathematics, several districts showed improvement in reading, writing, and history.
Why it matters
School districts are working to address learning needs as they continue to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, state assessments and standards have become more rigorous since 2019.
West Point reported an 85% pass rate in reading, while New Kent achieved a 93% writing pass rate for the 2025-26 school year. King and Queen improved its history and social sciences pass rate to 65%, up from 52% in the prior period.
The players
Virginia Department of Education
This state agency oversees the public education system and administers the Standards of Learning assessments across Virginia school divisions.
The details
School divisions use the provided test score data to guide instructional focus and implement targeted strategies and Tier 1 instruction to improve student outcomes. These results reflect the ongoing efforts of regional educators to balance more rigorous standards with the lingering effects of the pandemic.
Timeline
2019 served as the baseline for pre-pandemic testing performance levels.
2024-25 marked the period for previous academic performance data.
2025-26 represents the most recent academic school year for exam results.
Roadmap
These results reflect a broader shift within the state toward more rigorous academic standards implemented since 2019. Local school divisions are adjusting their curricula to meet these higher benchmarks while navigating the complexities of post-pandemic educational recovery.
Families can review these scores to understand the academic progress and focus areas of their specific school division. These metrics often influence the development of targeted instructional strategies and the allocation of educational resources within local classrooms.
The takeaway
Understanding how local school divisions perform on standardized tests provides insight into the efficacy of current instructional shifts. Parents and community members can use this data to engage with school leaders regarding how their children's educational needs are being addressed.
Further reading
For more on educational trends in the region, explore Secondary Education in Virginia.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Virginian-Pilot.
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