Tougher academic standards ahead for Virginia students
The Virginia Board of Education hears from experts on setting performance levels for K-12 students at Reynolds Community College on Feb. 26, 2025 (Photo by Nathaniel Cline/Virginia Mercury)
Virginia students may soon face tougher academic benchmarks as the state aligns its performance levels with the higher standards of a national assessment.
Starting next month, the Virginia Board of Education will begin adjusting its cut scores — used to determine whether K-12 students are meeting proficiency levels — to better match the rigor of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP).
Student performance is typically categorized as 'below basic,' 'basic,' 'proficient' or'advanced,' reflecting their knowledge and skills in core subjects.
Since 1998, Virginia has relied on its Standards of Learning (SOL) assessments to gauge proficiency in areas like reading and math. However, NAEP, a widely recognized national organization, has often been used to assess smaller student groups, such as fourth and eighth graders.
'The NAEP assessment provides a common benchmark that states can then use to look at the relative rigor of their own assessment cut scores,' said Lesley Muldoon, executive director of the National Assessment Governing Board, during a work session Wednesday.
Gov. Glenn Youngkin's administration has frequently pointed to NAEP data to highlight what it calls the 'honesty gap' — the disparity between state-level proficiency standards and the more stringent NAEP benchmarks.
Virginia's learning recovery falls short as NAEP scores show mixed results
Between 2017-2022, Virginia's fourth-grade reading and math results showed a staggering 40-percentage-point gap between the state's SOL and NAEP assessments. That disparity does not provide an 'accurate picture of student performance,' said Em Cooper, deputy superintendent of teaching and learning, during Wednesday's work session.
In response, the board has begun discussing plans to revise the cut scores — the threshold for determining student proficiency — in key subjects. The effort is a cornerstone of Youngkin's broader push to 'restore excellence in education,' which includes raising standards in core subjects, increasing transparency and accountability, and overhauling the state's assessment system.
Youngkin has argued that Virginia's current proficiency standards are the result of the previous Board of Education lowering cut scores and altering school accreditation standards.
However, Anne Holton, a former state education secretary and an appointee of former Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam, defended the previous board's approach. She noted that Virginia's pass rates aligned with the NAEP's 'basic' achievement level, which reflects 'partial mastery of the knowledge and skills that are fundamental for proficient work at a given grade,' according to NAEP.
The Youngkin administration, however, is pushing for Virginia to meet NAEP's 'proficient' standard — defined as a student demonstrating a deeper understanding of complex topics and the ability to apply them in real-world situations.
Virginia Explained: The debate over student expectations
Board member Amber Northern, a Youngkin appointee, argued that achieving NAEP proficiency is linked to better long-term outcomes, including higher graduation rates and increased job earnings compared to students who score at the NAEP 'basic' level.
'NAEP proficiency matters in terms of long-term outcomes for kids [and] I know this because I study it,' Northern said.
She dismissed political finger-pointing over the state's current standards, urging the board to focus on the benefits of higher expectations.
'I don't care about the politics, I don't care about 'well we did this, and we did this,' … nobody knows why we are in the situation we're in, we just know that we're in it and we're not about pointing fingers. What we're about saying is, okay, this is what NAEP proficiency does for our kids, and we should actually have that as our goal to do right by them.'
But Holton pushed back, questioning whether realigning Virginia's SOL to match NAEP would lead to actual student improvement. While she acknowledged that strong SOL and NAEP scores correlate with better outcomes, she argued that no research supports the idea that adjusting cut scores alone drives success.
'The research shows there's no impact of realigning our cut scores,' Holton said. 'We need our students to do well on the test, but where the line is is irrelevant.'
Previously, cut score adjustments went through a multi-step review involving a standard-setting committee, an articulation committee, and the state superintendent before final recommendations were presented to the Board of Education.
On Wednesday, the Virginia Department of Education staff outlined the board's new approach, which includes selecting and training committee members, assessment date, and ultimately making recommendations on cut scores.
Under the process proposal, committees will primarily consist of education experts, including teachers and instructional specialists, while the remainder will include community stakeholders such as parents and business leaders.
Educators applying to serve must complete an application demonstrating their understanding of grade level content and assessments. Community members will undergo a selection process led by the board and the governor's office.
The committees are set to convene in late May once enough assessment data from the 2025 assessment cycle is available. Their proposed cut scores will go before the board for an initial review in June, with a final decision expected in July.
On Thursday, the board will vote on the proposed review process. If approved, the updated performance standards will not take effect until spring 2026.
SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
36 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Obituary: Milwaukee Courier founder Jerrel Jones, pioneer in local journalism, dies at 85
Milwaukee journalism pioneer and visionary, Jerrel Jones, 85, founder of the weekly newspaper, the Milwaukee Courier and owner of WNOV radio station, has died according to a statement from the family. 'He was a mentor, a pioneer, and a beacon of strength,' Mary Ellen Jones, daughter and general manager of WNOV, said in a statement. Jones led Courier Communications Corp., which included the newspaper for 61 years. The Courier was founded in 1964 during the Civil Rights movement and desegregation in Milwaukee's schools. In 1972, Courier Communications bought WNOV, with Jones as the majority stakeholder, making it the first Black owned radio station in Wisconsin and one of 30 in the United States, according to the station's website. In 2013, Courier Communications bought the Madison Times, a Black newspaper in Madison. In a statement Mayor Cavalier Johnson said: "Milwaukee has lost a titan of local media with the passing of Jerrel W. Jones. His leadership of both the Milwaukee Courier newspaper and WNOV radio provided important outlets for news, entertainment and information. Jerrel was an engaged owner and community leader. His family, friends and colleagues have my condolences." A special tribute edition of the Milwaukee Courier is planned for the end of July and community members are invited to share a reflection of Jones. The Courier is the oldest continuously publishing Black newspaper in Wisconsin and has been a force in politics, culture and community since its first edition. Jones gave it the slogan "the newspaper you can trust" and it was a key source of information and commentary for Milwaukee's Black community. And Jones held politicians to account, even those whose campaigns he helped support financially. One of those was Democratic state Sen. Gary George, who represented part of the northside of Milwaukee at the time. In 2003, Jones supported then-Gov. Jim Doyle's efforts to expand casino gambling in the state that would have benefited Potawatomi Casino, and one of the major advertisers for the Courier and major employer in the Black community. However George voted against it. Jones was furious after the vote and the Courier wrote an editorial lambasting George saying he "has had the opportunity to represent his loyal supporters for a long time. It is time that he must go. His actions, votes and leadership are clearly in question." Jones went even further, launching a recall against George in March that year. "I backed Gary for 20 years. I've taken a lot of crap from Gary over those 20 years," Jones said in an interview with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel in 2003. "I've never even heard of a recall effort where we recall our own. this is the first time and, hopefully, the last time." Jones led the recall effort gathering 15,000 signatures, nearly more than double what was needed to launch a recall and a month before the deadline, according to a Journal Sentinel story. Roughly seven months later George lost his recall election to Spencer Coggs. This story will be updated. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Obituary: Jerrel Jones founded Milwaukee Courier founder, owned WNOV

Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Pete Hegseth in heated exchange over deployment of Marines to Los Angeles
US defence secretary Pete Hegseth has defended the deployment of US Marines in Los Angeles to 'enforce immigration law', as Democratic


USA Today
an hour ago
- USA Today
National Guard, Marine deployment in Los Angeles costs $134 million: Pentagon
National Guard, Marine deployment in Los Angeles costs $134 million: Pentagon The revelation before a congressional committee came as Democratic officials in California have criticized President Donald Trump deploying the military over the wishes of the state's governor. Show Caption Hide Caption Anti-ICE raid demonstrators protest into fourth night Anti-immigration raid protests are continuing into the fourth night as the Pentagon deployed active-duty U.S. Marines. Bryn MacDonnell, a special assistant to the defense secretary, said the 60-day deployment is estimated to cost $134 million. Rep. Pete Aguilar, D-California, voiced his 'severe concern' with the deployment without consulting with Gov. Gavin Newsom. WASHINGTON – Defense officials said the Pentagon is spending $134 million to deploy 4,000 National Guard troops and 700 Marines to respond to protests against federal immigration enforcement in Los Angeles. Bryn MacDonnell, a special assistant to the secretary of Defense, said the cost for the 60-day deployment for travel, housing and food is coming out of operations and maintenance accounts. More: Amid LA deployment, Hegseth falsely attacks Tim Walz over 2020 George Floyd riots 'What's the justification for using the military for civilian law enforcement purposes in LA?' Rep. Pete Aguilar, D-California, asked at a House Appropriations subcommittee on the Defense Department's budget. 'Why are you sending warfighters to cities to interact with civilians?' Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said President Donald Trump 'believes in law and order.' 'Every American citizen deserves to live in a city that's safe,' Hegseth said. 'We're proud to do it.' Aguilar said troops were seen sleeping on floors and not provided food, fuel or water from the Defense Department, reflecting a lack of preparation for the deployment. 'I want to express my severe concern with the deployment of the National Guard in Los Angeles without consultation with the state of California,' Aguilar said. 'Why were we unprepared to provide them basic necessities?' Hegseth called the criticism 'disingenuous' for a hasty deployment and said he was personally monitoring the mission. 'There are moments when you make do as best you can temporarily,' Hegseth said. 'We are ensuring they are housed, fed, water capabilities in real time – from my office because I care that much about the California Guard and the Marines.'