Higher Achievement and Shrinking Gaps in Reading

Overall achievement in reading increased by two points with 89 percent of Virginia students passing state tests in the subject compared with 87 percent last year.
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• Reading achievement of black students increased three points to 81 percent.
• Achievement of Hispanic students increased four points to 85 percent.
• Achievement of white students rose two points to 93 percent.
• Achievement of LEP students increased four points to 83 percent.
• Achievement of economically disadvantaged children increased four points to 81 percent.
• Achievement of students with disabilities increased six points to 73 percent.
• During the last three years, the achievement gap between black and white students in reading has narrowed by two points, despite a three-point increase in reading for white students. In addition, Hispanic students have narrowed the achievement gap with white students by ten points during the last three years.
• Students made continued progress toward the Board of Education’s goal of proficiency in reading for all students by the third grade as students in all subgroups demonstrated improved reading skills. Eighty-six percent of grade-three students passed in reading, compared with 84 percent last year and 80 percent in the previous year.


Black students achieved a 78-percent pass rate in grade-three reading, four points higher than last year and seven points higher than two years ago.
Hispanic students achieved an 83-percent pass rate in grade-three reading, compared with 79 percent last year and 65 percent two years ago.