Virginia's state writing assessment, rubric by rubric
SOL (Standards of Learning) is Virginia's statewide assessment program. The writing tests are administered at Grade 5, Grade 8, and the High School End-of-Course (EOC) level. Students produce a sustained composition in response to a prompt, and the response is scored against the 2017 SOL scoring rubric for their grade band.
Every Virginia SOL writing rubric uses the same two-domain analytic structure. Composing/Written Expression (scored 1 to 4) covers focus, organization, unity, elaboration, sentence variety, and word choice. Usage/Mechanics (scored 1 to 4) covers sentence formation, standard usage, and the mechanics of punctuation, capitalization, formatting, and spelling. The two domains are scored independently and reflect the writer's control of grade-level features.
The 2017 SOL rubrics took effect for Grade 5 in Fall 2022, for Middle School in September 2022, and for High School EOC in Fall 2019. Across all three grade bands the rubric language describes the writer's control of the domain features, the ability to use a given feature of written language effectively at the appropriate grade level. A higher score reflects increasing control.
The three Virginia SOL writing rubrics
Each Virginia SOL writing rubric scores responses on two analytic domains, Composing/Written Expression (1 to 4) and Usage/Mechanics (1 to 4). The same two-domain structure applies across grade bands. Only the descriptor language and grade-level expectations change between Grade 5, Middle School, and High School.
Upper Elementary scoring rubrics for the Grade 5 SOL writing assessment. Students compose in response to a prompt and are scored on Composing/Written Expression (1 to 4) and Usage/Mechanics (1 to 4).
Middle School scoring rubrics for the Grade 8 SOL writing assessment. Students produce a sustained composition and are scored on Composing/Written Expression (1 to 4) and Usage/Mechanics (1 to 4).
High School scoring rubrics for the End-of-Course (EOC) SOL writing assessment. Students compose with a clear thesis, integrate evidence, and address counterclaims when appropriate. Scored on Composing/Written Expression (1 to 4) and Usage/Mechanics (1 to 4).
How SOL Writing scores writing
Every Virginia SOL writing rubric scores responses on two analytic domains, each on a 1 to 4 scale. Composing/Written Expression captures the writer's control of focus, organization, elaboration, and style. Usage/Mechanics captures the writer's control of sentence formation, standard usage, and mechanics. The two scores combine for a domain total out of 8.
Scored 1 to 4. Covers focus on a central idea or thesis, organization, unity (digressions, transitions, point of view), elaboration with relevant details or evidence, sentence variety, and word choice. Grade-band expectations increase, Grade 5 focuses on a central idea, Middle School adds thesis and audience awareness, and High School expects a clear thesis with conclusions drawn from claims and evidence.
Scored 1 to 4. Covers sentence formation (avoiding fragments, run-ons, and at the secondary level, comma splices), standard usage (subject/verb agreement, pronoun agreement, verb tenses, parallel structure), and mechanics (punctuation, capitalization, formatting, spelling). At High School the rubric explicitly addresses comma splices.
The High School EOC rubric includes the explicit expectation that a top-scoring response analyzes misconceptions or addresses counterclaims when appropriate for the mode of writing. This expectation does not appear in the Grade 5 or Middle School rubrics, where counterclaim analysis is not required for a Score Point 4.
Common questions about Virginia SOL Writing writing
What is the Virginia SOL writing rubric?
How many points is the Virginia SOL writing rubric worth?
How is the Virginia SOL writing rubric different at each grade band?
When does the SOL rubric expect counterclaims?
Are these the official current Virginia SOL writing rubrics?
Where can I find the source documents?
Does EnlightenAI auto-score with these rubrics?
Score Virginia SOL writing in EnlightenAI
Train EnlightenAI on any of the three official SOL writing rubrics and start scoring student writing, with consistent per-domain feedback, in a single class period.