CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) – The Virginia Department of Education (VBOE) will vote on a multi-year phase-in implementation plan that will raise the minimum Standards of Learning (SOL) for a student to advance to the next grade on Thursday.

Students currently need to reach 400 on a scale of zero to 600. In late September 2025, the VBOE voted to increase the minimum passing scores for reading and math SOL tests. Under the new expectations, the minimum “proficient” score will increase from 400 to a range between 430 and 479, depending on the grade and subject. The change is part of an effort to align Virginia’s academic standards with national benchmarks. 

To avoid penalizing students mid-year, the new cut scores will not apply to current high school seniors. For the class of 2026, the current proficiency cut score of 400 will be used to measure student performance. 

The plan will be implemented over the course of several years.