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.

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.

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.