Schools across Virginia expect to see a dramatic increase in students failing end-of-year exams as the state prepares to implement higher benchmarks for standardized tests. But some state leaders, including Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R), say the changes could give a more accurate picture of student performance.
The Virginia Board of Education voted unanimously last month to raise the score students need to get to be deemed proficient on the annual state math and reading exams, called the Standards of Learning. For example, an eighth-grader would now need to score a 449 out of 600 points — an increase of 49 points — to be rated proficient on the reading exam.
The goal, officials say, is to align state exam standards with the National Assessment of Educational Progress, a federal test used to measure career readiness and student achievement. The board will meet this week to decide how and when to implement the new scores.
The changes are the latest in an effort to overhaul the public education system in Virginia pushed by Youngkin, who campaigned on expanding charter schools and has supported funding for private-school vouchers. He has long talked about closing what he calls an “honesty gap” — a disparity between pass rates on Virginia’s state exam vs. national tests. Education experts have criticized that characterization, saying it relies on a misinterpretation of NAEP data.
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