The results of this year’s Standards of Learning testing are in and are serving as proof of the dramatic learning loss students experienced during the pandemic.
In Roanoke City, reading scores fell 11% to 58%, math dropped from a 78% to a 40% pass rate, and science fell from 75% to 45%. Superintendent Verletta White said fewer students took this year’s test, which could skew test scores.
“Many of our students did not take the exam or perhaps we had kids who took it remotely,” said White.
Math scores fell dramatically in Lynchburg City Schools: from 73% passing to 36%.
“The score releases today, this is kind of a gut punch,” said Dr. Allison Jordan, the director of curriculum & instruction for Lynchburg City Schools.
Even districts that performed better in 2019, including Roanoke County and Montgomery County, saw much lower test scores this time around.
Down in southside, 43% of Danville students passed the reading test and about one-third passed math and science.
“I would say disappointed because I wish it was better, but we’ve been through a lot,” said Dr. Melissa Newton, the executive director for accountability and assessment with Danville Public Schools.
Newton said this data is a jumping-off point.
“That information tells us where they were last spring... address whatever their learning needs are,” said Newton.
In Martinsville, 28% passed the science exam, down from 68% in 2019.
Martinsville City Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Zebedee Talley Jr. said the impacts go beyond academics.
“Virginia, our district, school districts across other states are reflecting the same thing that because of the pandemic, students struggled,” said Talley Jr., “Keep in mind, this is just the academic side. students are more than test scores, but also socially and emotionally.”
Educators agreed: students thrive and learn best in person. They also said families need to do their part to help students stay healthy so they can stay in school.
“Any time we take students away from face-to-face instruction, they’re going to have some issues,” said Talley Jr.