2023 Standards of Learning for History & Social Science
News & Announcements
The History and Social Science Program is pleased to announce the updated history and social science instructional guides with embedded resources from external partners are now available. These resources will be linked within the Additional Resources component of each instructional guide through the #GoOpenVA platform. Professional learning in support of these new resources will be made available to educators and leaders throughout the year.
Instructional guides are companion documents to the 2023 History and Social Science Standards of Learning – amplifying each standard by defining the core knowledge and skills in practice, supporting teachers and their instruction, and serving to transition classroom instruction from the 2015 History and Social Science Standards of Learning to the newly adopted standards. The local History and Social Science curriculum should include a variety of information sources, readings, learning experiences, and forms of assessment selected to create a rigorous instructional program.
Instructional guides include five distinct sections, inclusive of dynamic and interactive components: Changes and Revisions, Understanding the Standard, Supporting Questions, Skills in Practice, and Concepts and Connections aligned to each standard. Moving forward, instructional guides will include enhancements with aligned resources directly within the content of the guide for quick accessibility.
Educators should continue to monitor this webpage and Virginia Education Update newsletters for additional information.
2023 Standards of Learning
On April 20, 2023, the Virginia Board of Education approved the 2023 History and Social Science Standards of Learning for Kindergarten - Grade 12. The standards incorporate content from earlier drafts and include new content to tell a more complete story about how the past has shaped the commonwealth, the nation and the world.
For more information about the standards by grade/course, refer to the table below.
For information about the process, refer to History and Social Science Standards of Learning Revision.
Standards of Learning
The History and Social Science Standards of Learning (SOL) are designed to develop knowledge and skills in history, geography, civics and economics to prepare students for informed participation in shaping the nation’s future.
Virginia’s History and Social Sciences Standards of Learning aim to raise our aspirations for history and social science instruction and restore excellence, curiosity and excitement around teaching and learning history. The teaching of history should illuminate insights from the past and inspire current and future generations to lead lives that are informed and inspired by those who walked this journey before them.
Standards of Learning Documents for History and Social Science - Adopted 2023
- Guiding Principles
- Background
- Implementation
- 2015 - 2023 Crosswalk
- History and Social Science Instructional Guides FAQ Document-April 2025