Virginia Board of Education Approves New Rules for Local Alternative Assessments
The Virginia Board of Education has approved new rules for Local Alternative Assessments (LAAs). These assessments allow schools to measure student learning in subjects where statewide Standards of Learning (SOL) tests are not available, emphasizing critical thinking over rote memorization.…
Norfolk Portsmouth Newport News, VA, October 3, 2026 — The Virginia Board of Education has officially approved new regulations governing Local Alternative Assessments (LAAs). This move aims to standardize and clarify how these assessments are implemented across the state.
Local Alternative Assessments are designed to evaluate student comprehension and skills in academic areas for which statewide Standards of Learning (SOL) tests are not currently administered. A key objective of these assessments is to shift the focus from rote memorization to the cultivation and measurement of critical thinking abilities among students.
The adoption of these new guidelines follows a significant legislative restructuring of Virginia’s statewide testing framework. The updated rules are intended to introduce a clearer structure and provide essential guidance for the development and deployment of LAAs.
According to the new regulations, the Board will define distinct categories for assessments, differentiating between those that are mandatory and those that are permissive. Furthermore, the guidelines outline specific requirements concerning the content of these LAAs, establishing standards for their scoring methodologies, and detailing the procedures for their administration within educational institutions.
Story summarized from the original created by Jillian Appel on wydaily.com, see more information here.
Media gallery
