Brenner on Board

10/15/2026

10/15/2026

10/15/2026

What do you think about this?

Virginia's overhaul of its SOL standardized testing system, signed into law in 2025, takes full effect this school year. For the first time, SOL exam results will count directly toward a student's final grade, worth 10 percent of it, a real structural change from a testing system that previously existed largely separate from a student's actual grade in the class.

That 10 percent is a meaningful shift in what these tests actually mean to the student sitting for them. A test that exists purely as a state accountability measure, with no direct bearing on a report card, gets treated very differently by a student than one that now directly affects the grade they'll see at the end of the year. Motivation, effort, and even test-day anxiety can all shift once a score stops being abstract and starts being personal in a very concrete way.

The other two changes matter just as much even though they're less immediately obvious. Testing moves from happening six weeks before the end of the school year to the final two weeks instead, meaning teachers now get roughly a month more of actual instructional time before the material gets assessed, rather than losing that stretch to test prep and testing windows well before the year is actually over. And scoring shifts from an unusual 600-point scale to a much more familiar 100-point scale, a change aimed specifically at making results easier for parents and students to actually interpret at a glance.

Together, these three changes reflect a real rethinking of what standardized testing in Virginia is supposed to accomplish and when it should happen, not just a minor technical adjustment to an existing system.

For teachers, more instructional time before testing is an unambiguous win. Tests now counting toward a grade adds real, new stakes to a system that used to keep those two things separate for a reason.

It's also worth asking how this changes the conversation with a student who's genuinely strong in class but struggles specifically with test-taking itself. A kid whose classroom performance and testing performance diverge now has a real, direct stake riding on that gap in a way the old system never created.

Does linking a state test directly to a student's grade change how you'd actually teach differently this year?

10/15/2026

Heads up everyone!

Over 16 million people are under a non-zero tornado risk across the Mid-Atlantic tomorrow, with a brief tornado or two possible, including in the D.C., Baltimore, and Philadelphia areas...

10/15/2026

Important information.

Families, educators and community members have an opportunity to help shape the future of education funding in Delaware!

Every student deserves access to the resources and opportunities they need to succeed, regardless of where they live or which school they attend.

Delaware is working toward a fairer, more transparent school funding system through a proposed hybrid model focused on student needs, flexibility for schools and accountability for results.

The framework is taking shape, but important decisions are still ahead. Learn more, follow the progress and share your voice: https://education.delaware.gov/community/pefc

10/15/2026

Please post your curriculum questions in the comments before 12:45 pm today.

10/15/2026

Vision for New Castle County is dedicated to accountability, responsible spending, smart growth, and transparent local government. We focus on the decisions that affect taxpayers, neighborhoods, and the future of New Castle County.

10/15/2026

This is a great opportunity for area families and their children to get some solid information. .

10/15/2026

Early voting starts a week from tomorrow (October 22nd) at the following locations: