Newly released Standards of Learning test results have propelled New Kent County Public Schools into the top 10 performing districts in Virginia.
However, some students in the area and across the state are still struggling to reach the scores their predecessors obtained before the COVID-19 pandemic.
The provisional 2024-25 SOL scores reveal that New Kent exceeded the pass rate of 80.3% that students achieved in reading in 2018-19, the last year before COVID. The division recorded an 81% pass rate in 2024-25. The county’s writing pass rate of 88% was 10% higher than the last year before COVID.
While New Kent has improved its scores over the last three years in history and social science, math and science, the pass rates remain just shy of the 2018-19 benchmark.
King and Queen County Public Schools, meanwhile, celebrated year-on-year improvements. Results remained relatively static in King William, and West Point recorded small declines in most subjects. Pass rates in all three divisions remain below those achieved before the COVID-linked shutdowns in most areas.
Ross Miller, New Kent’s executive director of innovation and development, described the division’s results as “exciting” in an email to parents. The overall pass rate of 82.2% puts the county in the top 10 school divisions in the state.
“This information shows that in the last four years, we have risen from the 34th-ranked division to the 9th-ranked division for overall pass rates out of 131 total divisions in the Commonwealth of Virginia. This steady growth demonstrates the hard work of our staff and students and our commitment to academic excellence,” he wrote.
New Kent’s reading pass rate rose by 2% to 81%, the math pass rate by 4% to 85%, the science pass rate by 4% to 80%, and the history and social sciences pass rate by 1% to 80%. New Kent’s writing pass rate increased by 7% to 88%.
“I am incredibly proud of the hard work of our teachers, staff, and students. Making steady growth to being ninth in the state in overall SOL pass rates reflects their dedication and commitment to learning,” said Superintendent Brian Nichols in an email.
“At the same time, we know that test scores are only one measure of the important work happening in our schools each day,” Nichols added. “Our true mission is to ensure that every NKCPS student graduates, prepared for employment, enlistment, or enrollment. While this recognition is worth celebrating, we will continue striving to get better every day for our students and community.”
King William County’s pass rate of 73% in the much-changed writing SOL in 2024-25 was more than 20% higher than its score in 2018-19, the last year before the pandemic. The division’s reading pass rate of 70% was 1% higher than in 2023-24, but 1% below 2022-23.
The county’s history and social sciences pass rate rose year-on-year from 62% to 70%. The science pass rate rose from 57% to 66%. The math pass rate fell by 1% to 64%. Pass rates in reading, science, math and social studies remain lower than the pre-COVID SOLs.
“King William County Schools is proud of the hard work and dedication our teachers demonstrate every day to ensure students are equipped with the skills they need for success,” said Superintendent Chuck Wagner in an email.
“This year marked the first administration of new reading and mathematics standards, which often are accompanied by dips in performance as students and teachers adjust to increased rigor. Despite this transition, our division did not see major shifts in overall pass rates.”
Wagner said the results represent only “raw” pass rates and do not account for student growth. “Once growth measures are released later this fall, we anticipate that the division may see an increase in overall performance. We are pleased, however, that the division’s overall performance (ranked statewide) improved slightly when compared to Spring 2024.”
King and Queen Schools Superintendent Carol Carter celebrated “substantial gains” in SOL pass rates in a news release.
The division’s reading pass rate inched up from 64% to 66% year-on-year, writing rose from 69% to 79%, and history and social sciences rose from 35% to 52%. The math pass rate increased from 45% to 51%, while 61% of students passed science compared to 47% in 2023-24.
Carter said the division recorded the “ largest overall pass rate gains within the Comprehensive Instructional Program (CIP), a consortium of 65 school divisions within the state of Virginia (6.7%).”
“Mathematics pass rates in KQCPS increased by 6% year-over-year, compared to the state average gain of 1%,” she added. “Our Black population showed an increase of 11% versus a gain of 1% for the state average. Our economically disadvantaged students and our students with disabilities increased by 10% versus 2% for the state average and 6% versus 0% respectively.”
King and Queen’s results remain below those recorded before the pandemic in 2018-19, when the English reading pass rate was 78.66%, math was 77.8%, the history pass rate 75.8%, and the science pass rate was 80.63%.
West Point Public Schools returned an 83% pass rate in reading in 2024-25, the same as the previous year. The division’s history and social sciences pass rate fell from 84% to 76%. The math pass rate declined from 85% year-on-year to 80%. The science pass rate decreased from 83% to 81%. The writing pass rate fell from 85% to 76%.
West Point schools scored pass rates of over 90% in English and math before the pandemic.
Schools Superintendent Larry Frazier did not return a request for a statement.
David Macaulay, Davidmacaulayva@gmail.com
https://www.pilotonline.com/2025/09/30/new-kent-king-and-queen-celebrate-sol-testing-results/
