Virginia's Standards of Learning (SOL) tests, often criticized, play a crucial role in highlighting educational inequities among students. They help identify those falling behind and prepare underserved communities for future success, thereby contributing to a stronger state economy.

• 01Virginia's Standards of Learning tests are often seen negatively but serve an important purpose.
• 02The tests have made it more difficult to overlook students who are struggling academically.
• 03They prepare students from underserved communities for successful careers and lives.
• 04Standardized testing has exposed existing inequalities in education rather than creating them.
• 05Comparable student results have only been regularly collected and published in recent decades.

The SOL tests help identify struggling students and prepare them for future success, impacting educational equity in Virginia.