Hampton Roads students fared better on this year’s state tests than last year, though scores continue to lag behind pre-pandemic levels.
Across the region, the pass rates for most subjects in Virginia’s Standards of Learning tests — writing and history results were not reported in the 2020-21 due to the pandemic — saw gains of anywhere between 2% points and 21% points.
Shortly after the state released the SOL data for the 2021-2022 academic year, Norfolk Public Schools said in a press release that the division saw significant gains in reading and math. Superintendent Sharon Byrdsong expressed her appreciation and optimism about the division’s pass rates and growth since schools were shut down.
“The tremendous work of teachers and other school staff must be acknowledged, especially on the heels of what arguably could be called the most challenging two years in public education — a time when schools across this country had to shut their doors to prevent the spread of a devastating disease,” Byrdsong said in a press release. “However, public education as a profession proved innovative, flexible and responsive during the crisis.”
At the state level, education officials highlighted the state’s passing rates compared to pre-pandemic rates, which still shows major gaps in pass rates. The overall gains made over this last year, they say, can be attributed to the return of in-person instruction.
“The bottom line is that in-person instruction matters,” Superintendent of Public Instruction Jillian Balow said in a press release. “When we compare the 2021-2022 data with achievement in 2020-2021 — when the majority of our students were learning remotely or on hybrid schedules — we can see the difference our teachers made once they were reunited with their students in their classrooms.”
The state pass rate this year is 66% for math and 73% for reading.
Hampton Roads schools generally showed gains from the 2020-21 academic year. That year’s pass rate is shown in parenthesis below. The minimum pass rate for reading is 58%. For math, it is 46%.
Virginia Beach City Public Schools
The district exceeded the state’s pass rate in all subjects.
Reading: 82% (78%)
Writing: 74% (NA)*
Math: 76% (69%)
Science: 75% (69%)
History: 74% (NA)*
Chesapeake City Public Schools
The district exceeded the state’s pass rate in all subjects.
Reading: 78% (74%)
Writing: 70% (NA)*
Math: 74% (58%)
Science: 72% (66%)
History: 74% (NA)*
Portsmouth Public Schools
The district showed significant gains in math, with a 15% jump.
Portsmouth’s science pass rate was the only subject in the region to show any decline. It went down by 1% point.
Reading: 61% (57%)
Writing: 48% (NA)*
Math: 49% (34%)
Science: 45% (46%)
History: 52% (NA)*
Norfolk City Public Schools
The district’s pass rate for math saw a major increase of 20% point.
Reading: 61% (54%)
Writing: 48% (NA)*
Math: 46% (26%)
Science: 47% (35%)
History: 49% (NA)*
Hampton City Public Schools
The district’s pass rate in math exceeded the state pass rate by 2% point.
Reading: 71% (69%)
Writing: 63% (NA)*
Math: 68% (60%)
Science: 62% (52%)
History: 64% (NA)*
Suffolk City Public Schools
The district’s math pass rate went up by 21% points.
Reading: 71% (69%)
Writing: 63% (NA)*
Math: 62% (41%)
Science: 58% (54%)
History: 55% (NA)*
Newport News City Public Schools
The district showed the most gains in its math and science pass rates.
Reading: 58% (53%)
Writing: 50% (NA)*
Math: 51% (33%)
Science: 48% (39%)
History: 44% (NA)*
*The state did not give history or writing assessments in 2020-2021 due to the continued impact of COVID.
Kelsey Kendall, kelsey.kendall@virginiamedia.com
