Virginia Board Approved New Student Assessment Rules
Parents should watch for updates to grading methods in 63 school divisions across the state.
Updated on Sept. 29, 2026 in Administration
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The Virginia Board of Education recently finalized new guidelines for local alternative student assessments used in classrooms. The changes impact districts that utilize these assessments for subjects like third-grade science and history.
Why it matters
Lawmakers ordered these updates to standardize the testing system and ensure consistency for students across local school divisions. The new rules aim to help districts implement assessments more effectively after an overhaul of state testing.
Approximately 63 of Virginia's 132 school divisions currently use local alternative assessments. The new requirements mandate that schools perform double-scoring on at least 15% of all student responses.
The players
Virginia Board of Education
The state-level governing body that sets academic standards and testing policies for all local school divisions.
Virginia Department of Education
The state agency responsible for overseeing school compliance, performing audits, and providing guidance to local districts.
The details
Under the new guidelines, the board categorized assessments into mandatory and permissive tracks to standardize content and administration. Mandatory local alternative assessments now include third-grade science and history, while permissive options cover subjects like Earth Science and Chemistry. To ensure grading consistency, the board requires school divisions to implement double-scoring for a portion of student work. The Virginia Department of Education will oversee this by conducting audits of assessment plans and providing training resources to staff.
Timeline
September 1, 2026: Deadline for establishing best practices for grading and scoring.
September 24, 2026: Virginia Board of Education approved the new guidelines during a business meeting.
The Home Front
These assessment rules reflect a broader effort to unify academic reporting standards across Virginia's diverse school districts. This shift marks a formal response to the recent state-wide testing system overhaul.
If your child attends a school division that utilizes local alternative assessments, check with your local principal to see if their specific assessment plan is being updated. You can also monitor your school division's newsletter for upcoming regional meetings where the state will collect input.
The takeaway
Parents in affected districts should prepare for potential shifts in how student progress is measured and reported. Reach out to your local school division office to confirm if your specific school utilizes these local alternative assessments.
Further reading
Learn more about local school management at the Administration section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Virginia Mercury.
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Should local schools prioritize rigorous alternative assessment methods even if they increase administrative costs?
