SOL Test Administration & Development
Assessment Administration
The administration of Standards of Learning (SOL) assessments is a cooperative effort involving the VDOE and educators and administrators in the commonwealth’s 132 school divisions. Key division-level and school-level personnel include:
- Division Director of Testing – The Division Director of Testing (DDOT) serves as the point of contact between the school division and VDOE. The DDOT has division-wide responsibility for implementation of SOL test procedures.
- School Test Coordinator – The School Test Coordinator (STC) serves as the point of contact between the DDOT and the school. The STC is also responsible for ensuring that all procedures required for the SOL tests are implemented within the school and for maintaining the security of test materials.
- Test Examiner – Test examiners are responsible for administering the SOL tests according to procedures and for maintaining the security of SOL test materials.
SOL Testing Calendars
- 2020 - 2021-This is a Word document. - Testing is occurring but dates are subject to change due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Contact your local school division or the Office of Student Assessment (student_assessment@doe.virginia.gov) for assistance.
- 2019 - 2020-This is a Word document. – Spring 2020 testing was incomplete due to school closures for the COVID-19 pandemic.
- 2018 - 2019-This is a Word document. (Word)
SOL Test Implementation Manuals
Test implementation manuals describe procedures that the DDOT and STC should follow before, during and after SOL test administration.
- Spring 2021 Writing Test Implementation Manual-This is a PDF document.
- Spring 2021 Non-Writing Test Implementation Manual-This is a PDF document.
- Summer 2020 Writing Test Implementation Manual-This is a PDF document.
- Summer 2020 Non-Writing Test Implementation Manual (PDF) - This manual is not available. Please use the Spring 2020 Non-Writing Test Implementation Manual for any non-writing SOL tests administered in summer 2020.
- Fall 2020 Writing Test Implementation Manual (PDF)
- Fall 2020 Non-Writing Test Implementation Manual-This is a PDF document.
Supplement to the Writing and Non-Writing Test Implementation Manuals
The Supplement to the Test Implementation Manuals provides the information, guidance, procedures, and responsibilities the DDOT and STC must use for the management of paper/pencil testing for both the Writing and Non-Writing Standards of Learning test administrations.
Examiner's Manuals
The Examiner’s Manuals contain the information, guidance, procedures, and responsibilities that the Test Examiners and Proctors are required to follow in order to administer the SOL tests.
These manuals also contain the testing directions for online format tests. Paper/pencil format testing directions are found in the Supplements to the Examiner’s Manuals.
Non-Writing Examiner's Manuals
2020-2021
- Grade 3-This is a PDF document.
- Grades 4 & 5-This is a PDF document.
- Grades 6, 7 & 8-This is a PDF document.
- Content Specific History-This is a PDF document.
- End-of-Course Reading-This is a PDF document.
- End-of-Course History/Social Science-This is a PDF document.
- End-of-Course Mathematics-This is a PDF document.
- End-of-Course Science-This is a PDF document.
Writing Examiner’s Manuals
2020-2021
Supplements to the Writing and Non-Writing Examiner’s Manuals
The Supplements to the Examiner’s Manuals provide the testing directions that Test Examiners and Proctors must use for the administration of the paper/pencil Standards of Learning (SOL) assessments.
2020-2021
- Supplement to the Writing Examiner’s Manual-This is a PDF document.
- Supplement to the Grade 3 Examiner’s Manual-This is a PDF document.
- Supplement to the Grades 4 & 5 Examiner’s Manual-This is a PDF document.
- Supplement to the Grades 6, 7, & 8 Examiner’s Manual-This is a PDF document.
- Supplement to the Content Specific History Examiner’s Manual-This is a PDF document.
- Supplement to the End-of-Course Reading Examiner’s Manual-This is a PDF document.
- Supplement to the End-of-Course Mathematics Examiner’s Manual-This is a PDF document.
- Supplement to the End-of-Course Science Examiner’s Manual-This is a PDF document.
- Supplement to the End-of-Course History/Social Science Manual-This is a PDF document.
Ancillary Test Materials
SOL Practice Tools
- SOL Practice Items and Practice Item Guides - includes SOL Writing Practice Tool
VDOE Guidelines
- Approved Calculators for the Virginia Standards of Learning Assessments-This is a Word document. – This chart lists the approved calculators for use on the mathematics Standards of Learning assessments, listed by grade level.
Also see: Participation & Inclusion – includes guidelines for Read Aloud testing, limited English proficient students and students with disabilities.
Testing Irregularities (TIWAS)
The Testing Irregularity Web Application System (TIWAS) provides a method for submitting and resolving testing irregularities. Division directors of testing and school test coordinators submit information using the online system, TIWAS. Examiners should report testing irregularities immediately. Division directors of testing may resolve irregularities locally or submit irregularities to VDOE with 24 hours of receipt of the irregularity. All irregularities involving a retest situation should be submitted to the VDOE.
Technical Reports
- Standards of Learning Assessments Technical Report: 2014-15 Administration Cycle (PDF)
- Standards of Learning Assessments Technical Report: 2013-14 Administration Cycle (PDF)
Assessment Development
SOL tests are designed to assess whether students meet specific minimum expectations for learning and achievement expressed in the Standards of Learning. Tests are developed through an extensive process of review and field testing to ensure that tests are fair and of appropriate difficulty for the grade or course.
SOL Review Committees
Virginia teachers, school administrators and content specialists participate in the development of SOL assessments by serving on committees that review test items and forms to ensure that they measure student knowledge accurately and fairly.
Click below to see an informational video that provides an overview of the item and test review process, along with reflections from Virginia educators who have participated in this process.
Play Video (MP4) – Requires the free Apple QuickTime player plug-in or free Windows Media Player plug-in.
More about the application process and SOL Review Committees.
SOL Test Blueprints
SOL test blueprints guide test developers as they write test questions and construct the assessments. They also provide information to educators, parents and students, including:
- Specific standards covered by the test
- Number of test items in each reporting category and on the total test
- Standards assigned to each reporting category
Blueprints for SOL tests are available on SOL resource tables for:
Released SOL Test Items
VDOE releases sample sets of SOL tests that were administered during the previous spring test administration. Released tests and items are not inclusive of all assessments administered during the previous year but are representative of the content and skills assessed. Released tests and test items are available on SOL resource tables for: