Virginia sets new testing benchmarks for students

Virginia schools officials are backing away from a plan that would set different achievement goals for minority and low-income students on standardized math tests, instead preparing to ask the state school board next week to set a benchmark of 73 percent math proficiency for all students by 2016.

To close the achievement gap and get all students to the 73 percent level, Virginia teachers will be tasked with helping minority, disabled and English-language-learner students make large gains every year for the next five years on the Standards of Learning tests.