The Virginia Department of Education has released the results from the 2025-2026 Standards of Learning assessments.
An increase of 0.4 percentage points was found statewide in the subjects of math and reading assessments. These results are part of a longer trend of post-pandemic recovery over the last five years, in which Virginia students have increased reading proficiency rates by five percentage points and math by 19.
“Today’s statewide assessment results reflect progress in our classrooms, with combined math and reading scores of students in grades 3–8 rising slightly across the state,” said Secretary of Education Dr. Jeffery Smith. “Behind the numbers are the dedicated efforts of thousands of students, educators, and families working hard every day to strengthen foundational literacy and numeracy skills. We also know that a lot of hard work is ahead of us, and I am convinced that together, we will continue to address learning gaps.”
Outside of math and reading results, history and social sciences pass rates improved most significantly, at 3.2 percentage points between 2024-2025 and 2025-2026; however, the same progress was not seen in science pass rates, which saw a nominal decrease of 0.2 percentage points.
Locally, however, Russell County saw dips in the passing rates of English, math and science.
The passing rate in English fell from 78 percent to 75 percent. Math decreased from 71 percent to 63 percent. Science passing rates decreased from 73 percent to 66 percent.
History and Social Sciences remained the same at 65 percent.
Belfast Elementary School saw decreases in each of the subject areas. History and social sciences dropped two percentage points from 78 to 76. Math fell from 96 to 90 percent. English fell from 98 to 92. Science fell from 100 percent to 88 percent.
Castlewood Elementary enjoyed an increase in the passing rate of English. The rate increased from 65 percent in 2025 to 68 percent in 2026.
The school saw a decline, however, in history and social sciences of 57 percent to 55 percent. Math dropped three points from 58 to 55 percent. The school’s biggest decline was in science, which witnessed a drop from 69 percent to 39 percent.
Honaker Elementary’s passing rate in science increased eight percentage points, going from 82 to 90.
HES saw a decrease in the other subject areas. History and social sciences fell 10 points from 89 percent to 79 percent. Math declined from 81 percent to 77 percent. English saw a decrease of 85 percent to 79 percent.
Lebanon Elementary was the only county school to see an increase of passing in every subject. English increased two percentage points from 73 to 75. History and social sciences increased 10 percentage points from 74 percent passing to 84 percent passing. Math saw the largest increase from 66 percent to 77 percent.
Lebanon Middle School’s passing rate in science increased from 55 percent to 57 percent. English fell from 72 percent to 68 percent.
Math decreased from 64 percent to 59 percent. History and social sciences declined from 76 percent to 68 percent.
Castlewood High School’s test results saw a decrease in each subject. History and Social Sciences fell from 55 percent to 42 percent.
Math fell from 76 percent to 53 percent. Science decreased from 78 percent to 66 percent. English fell one percentage point from 75 percent to 74 percent.
Honaker High School’s passing percentage increased in math, as well as history and social sciences. The math passing rate increased from 67 percent to 68 percent. History increased from 46 percent to 53 percent.
The passing percentage of HHS students in English fell from 84 to 79. Science fell from 78 percent to 71 percent.
Lebanon High School’s passing percentage in history and social sciences climbed from 54 percent to 66 percent. English remained the same at 81 percent.
Science at LHS declined from 71 percent to 64 percent. Math saw a loss of 29 percentage points from 72 percent passing to 43 percent passing.
