Students at James Monroe High School and Hugh Mercer Elementary School in the City of Fredericksburg made gains over the preceding year in all Standards of Learning tests administered this spring.
According to raw SOL pass rate data shared at Monday’s city School Board meeting, the overall pass rate among the high school students improved in writing from 9 to 16%; in history from 20 to 45%; in math from 48 to 59%; in science from 56 to 61%; and in reading from 74 to 78%.
“I’m very, very proud of James Monroe and how it has improved in every single content area,” FCPS Chief Academic Officer Brendon Albon told the Board.
At Hugh Mercer, the overall pass rate in reading improved from 48 to 49%; in math from 44 to 52%; in history from 48 to 54%; and in science from 34 to 55%.
Pass rates among students with disabilities and English language students at Hugh Mercer also improved in all test areas, according to the data released Monday. Among Hispanic and economically disadvantaged students, the pass rates declined only in history, and among Black students, only in reading.
At James Monroe, writing pass rates declined among students with disabilities, Hispanic students, and Black students. However, Albon explained the writing SOL is only administered to students who do not perform well on the WorkKeys writing assessment, which is given first.
The only other areas and subgroups in which pass rates declined at James Monroe were science (students with disabilities) and reading (Black students.)
At Walker-Grant Middle School, overall pass rates improved for all students in all subject areas except for reading, which declined by 2%. Pass rates among English language students improved in all areas at the middle school, and in all but one area — reading — among economically-disadvantaged and Black students.
At Lafayette Elementary, the overall pass rate declined in all test areas except for history since spring 2025.
However, Albon stressed to the School Board on Monday that this should be considered “year zero” for the elementary schools. With the opening of the city’s third K-5 school, Gladys West Elementary, in August 2025, the elementary population was redistricted, and existing elementary schools welcomed a different mix of student subgroups.
“Am I satisfied with these numbers? No,” Albon said. “Am I pleased with the improvement we do see? Yes. We have an incredible amount to celebrate here.”
But, “we are not where we intend to be” in terms of pass rates, he said.
Under the Virginia Department of Education’s new School Performance and Support Framework, SOL pass rates account only for “mastery,” which is one of three areas considered when measuring how schools perform. Mastery receives more weight at the elementary level and less at the middle and high school levels.
School Board Chair Katie Pomeroy said the pass rate data released this week points to the need to focus on supporting students with disabilities.
“Looking at these numbers in concert with other things I know, like the number of open special education teaching positions, this shows how we’re not growing as much as I would like in that student group,” she said Monday. “That has to be a priority–recruiting and retaining excellent, certified special education teachers who can turn this around.”
