Adopted in June of 1995, the Standards of Learning (SOL) outline expectations for students in the four core areas of English, mathematics, science, and history. Computer Technology standards are also included. Virginia's school children in grades 3,5, and 8, as well as those in certain high school courses, took the first SOL tests in the spring of 1998. The SOL tests are designed to show how well a child has acquired the SOLs in the four content areas or the course.  

The School Performance Report Card provides you with a wealth of information about your child's school, the school division, and the state. Important among this information is how well the school is performing in preparing students to be successful on the new SOL tests. In future years, schools will be accredited on the basis of this important factor. We must remember that this was the first time students took the SOLs tests. They are rigorous tests, and all of us had an expectation that the first-time performance would be low.  

Don't rush to judge the long-term quality of your school based on these first SOL test results. All of Virginia's schools are provisionally accredited for 1998-99. As the schools of Virginia continue to focus upon the content of the SOLs and provide additional assistance to students, test scores will improve. The Board of Education has confidence in our public schools and our educators and is supportive of their efforts to improve academic achievement in the coming years. We ask that you, also, support their efforts. Join with us in working with your school to provide a high quality education for your child.