COMMONWEALTH of VIRGINIA
Department of Education

June 15, 2012

TO:  Division Superintendents

FROM:  Patricia I. Wright, Superintendent of Public Instruction

SUBJECT:  Testing Options to Meet the Numeracy Requirements for the Modified Standard Diploma

On May 24, 2012, the Virginia Board of Education adopted a cut score of 25 out of 50 for the new Standards of Learning (SOL) grade 8 mathematics test to meet the numeracy requirement for the Modified Standard Diploma. The cut score adopted by the Board corresponds to a scaled score of 375.  Therefore, a scaled score of 375 on the grade 8 mathematics test based on the 2009 mathematics SOL may be used to certify that a student has met the numeracy requirement for a Modified Standard Diploma.

This action by the Board of Education does not affect the score required to pass the SOL grade 8 mathematics test; the required score to pass the test remains at 31 out of 50 as communicated in Superintendent’s Memorandum No. 081-12, dated March 30, 2012.

As a reminder, students who passed the grade 8 mathematics or Algebra I Virginia Modified Achievement Standards Test or the SOL End-of-Course Algebra I test have also met the numeracy requirements for the Modified Standard Diploma.  This information was communicated to you via Superintendent’s Memorandum No. 054-11, dated February 18, 2011.

If you have questions, please contact the student assessment staff at Student_Assessment@doe.virginia.gov  or (804) 225-2102.

PIW/SLR/cb