Virginia Department of Education

CONTACT US
The pages for Standards of Learning & Testing are managed by several divisions and offices. See Staff Contacts.

Standards of Learning (SOL) & Testing

English

Standards of Learning Documents for English

• The Standards of Learning and Curriculum Framework comprise the English language arts content that teachers in Virginia are expected to teach and students are expected to learn.
• Test blueprints provide information on how SOL assessments are constructed.
• The Enhanced Scope and Sequence (ESS) Sample Lesson Plans align instruction with the standards and cover the essential understandings, knowledge and skills found in the curriculum framework.
• SOL Practice Items (based on the 2010 English SOL) provide examples of state assessment items.

Standards of Learning Documents for English – Adopted 2017

Course	Standards of Learning	Curriculum Framework	Standards of Learning (SOL) Test Blueprints	Resources for Instruction & Assessment
All English	Word	Word - ADA Compliant Version Word - Original Version	Grade 3 Reading-This is a Word document. (Word) Grade 4 Reading-This is a Word document. (Word) Grade 5 Reading-This is a Word document. (Word) Grade 6 Reading-This is a Word document. (Word) Grade 7 Reading-This is a Word document. (Word) Grade 8 Reading-This is a Word document. (Word) End-of-Course Reading-This is a Word document. (Word)	English SOL Crosswalk Between the 2017 and 2010 Standards Word - ADA Compliant Version Word - Original Version Computer Adaptive Testing – Includes CAT informational videos and resources. SOL Practice Items in TestNav 8 – Provide examples of the new content of the 2017 Reading SOL. Progression Charts identify the grade level at which specific skills are formally introduced in the 2017 English SOL for Communication-This is a Word document. (Word) Reading-This is a Word document. (Word) Writing-This is a Word document. (Word) Grammar-This is a Word document. (Word) Research-This is a Word document. (Word) Sample Text-Dependent Questions with Paired Passages – provide fiction samples paired with companion nonfiction texts and offer a series of text-dependent questions, vocabulary activities, writing assignments, and opportunities for research.  2017 K-3 English Achievement Record Sample 2019 English Deeper Learning Conferences 2018 English Standards of Learning (SOL) Institutes Comprehensive Literacy: English Instructional Plans – align instruction with the 2017 English SOL

Local Performance Assessments to Verify Credits in Writing

• Guidelines for the Use of Local Performance Assessments to Verify Credits in Writing-This is a Word document. (Word)
• Verified Credit Plan: End-of-Course Writing 2020-2021 School Year-This is a Word document. (Word)
• Common Rubric for High School Writing Samples-This is a Word document. (Word) - aligns with the 2017 English Standards of Learning
• High School Writing Rubric-This is a Word document. (Word) - aligns with the 2017 English Standards of Learning
• Sample Writing Tasks that could be used for the Body of Evidence to Verify Credits in Writing-This is a Word document. (Word)
• Understand Scoring
• Performance Level Descriptors 2017-This is a Word document. (Word)
• Virginia Board of Education Guidelines for the Use of Local Performance Assessments to Verify Credits in Writing: Implementation Support-This is a Word document. (Word) Effective Fall, 2019- guidance for administering and scoring the local performance assessments used to verify credits in writing
• Implementation Support for 2018–2019 in the Use of Local Performance Assessments to Verify Credits in Writing-This is a Word document. (Word) - guidance for administering and scoring the local performance assessments used to verify credits in writing
  
  
  

Standards of Learning Documents for English – Adopted 2010

Standards of Learning		Test Blueprints			Resources for Instruction & Assessment
Standards (PDF)	Curriculum Framework (Word)	Standards of Learning (SOL) Tests		Virginia Modified Achievement Standards Test (VMAST)
		Reading	Writing	VMAST Reading
All English	K-12 Word  |  PDF	NA	NA	NA	Computer Adaptive Testing – Includes CAT informational videos and resources SOL Practice Items in TestNav 8 – Provide examples of the new content and increased rigor of the 2010 English SOL Using Statewide SOL Test Results to Guide Instruction – Examples of challenging SOL content based on statewide results Online Writing Resources – teaching strategies and lesson plans, video links, SOL progression charts, graphic organizers, and resource links. Writing Prompts Anchor Sets with Annotations Instruction Anchor Sets Understand Scoring Instruction Writing Checklists Vocabulary Resources – teaching strategies, lesson plans, graphic organizers, and resource links. SOL Institute Presentations & Lessons available for 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015 ESS Sample Lesson Plans – align instruction with the 2010 English SOL. Progression Charts identify the grade level at which specific skills are formally introduced in the 2010 English SOL for Reading, Writing, Grammar and Research (PDF files). Released SOL Tests & Item Sets – Tests and item sets representative of the content and skills included in the Virginia SOL tests. Frequently Asked Questions (PDF) English Standards of Learning Crosswalk Between the 2010 and 2002 Standards (PDF) – provides detail on additions, deletions and changes included in the 2002 English SOL.
Kindergarten	K-Grade 5 Word  |  PDF	Grade 3*	Grade 5	NA
Grade 1
Grade 2
Grade 3
Grade 4		Grade 4*		NA
Grade 5		Grade 5**		NA
Grade 6	Grades 6-8 Word  |  PDF	Grade 6***	Grade 8	NA
Grade 7		Grade 7***		NA
Grade 8		Grade 8***		NA
Grade 9	Grades 9-12 Word  |  PDF	End of Course (EOC)	End of Course (EOC)	NA
Grade 10
Grade 11
Grade 12		NA	NA	NA

*     Document revised July 2016
**   Document revised January 2017
*** Document revised July 2017

Virginia's College & Career Ready English Performance Expectations

English Performance Expectations define the level of achievement students must reach to be academically prepared for success in entry-level credit-bearing college courses. The expectations were developed through the College & Career Readiness Initiative – a process that involved faculty from Virginia's two- and four-year colleges and universities, members of the business community and high school educators.

• College & Career Ready Performance Expectations (PDF)
• English Capstone Course Information
• Correlation of Virginia’s English Performance Expectations with Virginia’s 2010 English Standards of Learning (PDF)
  

 

Virginia's 2010 English Standards of Learning and the Common Core State Standards for English/Language Arts

• Comparison of Virginia’s 2010 English Standards of Learning with the Common Core State Standards for English/Language Arts (PDF)
• More about the Standards of Learning and the Common Core State Standards
  
  

English Standards of Learning Resources

• The National Clearinghouse for English Language Acquisition (NCELA) collects, coordinates and conveys a broad range of research and resources in support of an inclusive approach to high quality education for English language learners (ELLs).

English SOL: 2002

• English Standards of Learning and related resources for the SOL adopted in 2002.

Previous Version SOL: 1995

• All English (Word)  |  (PDF)
• Kindergarten (Word)  |  (PDF)
• Grade 1 (Word)  |  (PDF)
• Grade 2 (Word)  |  (PDF)
• Grade 3 (Word)  |  (PDF)
• Grade 4 (Word)  |  (PDF)
• Grade 5 (Word)  |  (PDF)
• Grade 6 (Word)  |  (PDF)
• Grade 7 (Word)  |  (PDF)
• Grade 8 (Word)  |  (PDF)
• 9-12 English (Word)  |  (PDF)
  
  

Previous Version Blueprints: 1995

• Grade 3 (Reading and Writing)
• Grade 5: Reading/Literature and Research
• Grade 5: Writing
• Grade 8: Reading/Literature and Research
• Grade 8: Writing
• EOC: Reading/Literature and Research (Grade 9-12)
• EOC: Writing (Grade 9-12)
  
  

English Instructional Resources aligned to 2002 English SOL

• Elementary School Resources
• Middle School Resources
• High School Resources
• English as a Second Language
  

Top of Page