What does SOL stand for?

SOL stands for Standards of Learning — Virginia's set of statewide learning expectations for what students should know in each subject and grade, and the tests used to measure whether they've met them.

What grades take SOL tests?

Virginia public school students take SOL tests starting in grade 3 through reading, writing, math, science, and history/social science, continuing through high school end-of-course exams like Algebra I, Biology, and World History.

Are SOL tests the same as final exams?

No. SOL tests are statewide assessments set by the Virginia Department of Education, separate from a teacher's own classroom tests or final exams, though some divisions weight SOL results into course grades.

How many questions are on an SOL test?

Most SOL tests have between 35 and 50 questions, mostly multiple-choice (four answer options), plus technology-enhanced items and, for some subjects, constructed-response or essay questions.

What happens if my child doesn't pass an SOL test?

It depends on grade and subject. Most grades don't carry automatic consequences for a single test, but Grade 3 Reading is the exception — Virginia law requires students to show reading proficiency by the end of third grade, through the SOL test, an alternate assessment, or a reading portfolio, or they may be retained. In high school, passing certain end-of-course SOL tests is required to earn the five verified credits needed to graduate.

What Is the Virginia SOL Test? A Complete Guide for Parents

If you're a Virginia parent, you've probably heard the term "SOL test" long before anyone explained what it actually is. SOL stands for Standards of Learning — the Virginia Department of Education's (VDOE) set of statewide academic expectations for what students should know and be able to do in each subject, at each grade level. The SOL tests are how the state checks whether that learning actually happened.

Which grades and subjects are tested

SOL testing begins in grade 3 and continues through high school. Depending on the subject, tests happen every year or at specific checkpoints:

Reading and Math — tested every year from grade 3 through grade 8.
Writing — tested at specific grades (traditionally grades 5 and 8), plus a high school end-of-course exam.
Science — tested at select elementary/middle grades, then through high school courses like Biology, Chemistry, and Earth Science.
History & Social Science — tested at select grades, then through end-of-course exams like Civics and Economics, World History, and U.S./Virginia Government.

High school students also take end-of-course SOL exams in courses like Algebra I, Algebra II, and Geometry as they complete them, rather than waiting for a single grade-level test.

What the test actually looks like

SOL tests are taken on a computer through TestNav, Virginia's secure testing application. Most tests have 35 to 50 questions — mostly multiple-choice with four answer options, plus technology-enhanced items (drag-and-drop, hot-spot, multi-select), and for some subjects, constructed-response or essay questions. Math SOL tests are split into a calculator-inactive section (number sense, mental math, estimation) and a calculator-active section, which uses an online Desmos calculator built into the test itself.

When SOL tests happen

The main SOL testing window generally runs from late spring through early summer each year, with high school end-of-course tests given as students finish the relevant course rather than on one fixed date. Exact testing dates are set by each school division within state guidelines — check with your child's school for the specific window that applies to them.

What happens if a student doesn't pass

For most grades and subjects, a single non-passing SOL score doesn't carry an automatic consequence — but there are two real exceptions worth knowing:

Grade 3 Reading is the one grade level where reading performance has a direct retention implication under Virginia law: students must demonstrate reading proficiency by the end of third grade — through the SOL test, an alternate assessment, or a reading portfolio — or they may be retained. Divisions are required to provide reading intervention services before making that call.
High school graduation requires five verified credits, earned by passing specific end-of-course SOL tests: two in English, and one each in math, science, and history/social science.

Why SOL tests exist

SOL tests give Virginia a consistent way to measure whether schools across every division are teaching the same statewide standards, and whether individual students are on track. Results feed into school accreditation, help identify students who need extra support, and (in some divisions) factor into course grades or graduation requirements for certain verified credits.

How this is different from just "studying more"

Because SOL tests are built directly from published standards — each with its own code, like 5.NS.1 for a 5th grade math number-sense standard — the most effective prep isn't generic review. It's working through the specific standards your child's grade and subject are actually tested on. Browse every Virginia SOL standard by subject and grade to see exactly what's covered.