RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- Newly released Standards of Learning (SOL) pass rates show there is a significant achievement gap based on race in Virginia.

“The disparities can happen for a number of reasons,” said Dr. Krystal Clemons, Associate Dean at Virginia State University’s College of Education.

The data shows that over 80% of white and Asian students in Grades 3-8 passed their reading SOL exam, compared to a pass rate of less than 60% for Black and Hispanic students.

Meanwhile, in math, less than 55% of Black and Hispanic students passed, compared to white and Asian students, who had a pass rate of around 80%.

“The research shows that if you are vulnerable to things like lack of sustainable housing, lack of internet bandwidth, and connectivity, those things often have an adverse effec

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