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WASHINGTON — Students in the small Falls Church City Schools system are passing Virginia’s Standards of Learning tests at a higher rate than students in other Northern Virginia school systems, according to 2015 test data released Tuesday.

Falls Church has only five schools, with a total of about 2,500 students, many of whom come from backgrounds that may help them succeed. 74.4 percent of adults 25 and over living in the city have at least a bachelor’s degree.

In contrast, the Census Bureau estimates just 26 percent of adults over age 25 have bachelor’s degrees , which Virginia Department of Education data show have some of the lowest pass rates in Northern Virginia.

The Virginia Department of Education finds that, while minority students are making gains in passing the SOLs — which play a role in graduation requirements — there is still a significant between white students and black and Hispanic students.

Overall, West Point Public Schools are at or near the top of the state rankings of pass rates in all categories. The small school division about 45 minutes east of Richmond is one of the few in Virginia run by a town rather than a city or county. Ninety-four percent of its students passed the reading tests last year.

In addition to Falls Church, Loudoun and Arlington counties also rank in the top 10 for pass rates on reading SOLs in the 2014-15 school year.

All Students, Highest English: Reading Scores
State Rank/School System	2012-2013 Pass Rate	2013-2014 Pass Rate	2014-2015 Pass Rate
Ìý#2 Falls Church City	Ìý91	Ìý91	Ìý92
Ìý#7 Loudoun County	Ìý83	Ìý84	87
Ìý#9 Arlington County	Ìý80	Ìý82	Ìý86
Ìý#13 Fairfax County	Ìý82	Ìý81	Ìý85
Ìý#T22 Stafford County	Ìý80	Ìý78	83

 

Prince William County is lower, but still above the state average, with an 81 percent pass rate.ÌýPetersburg ranks lowest in the state (132^nd) with an improved 58 percent pass rate. Richmond and Martinsville are second- and third-to-last.

 

All Students, Lowest English: Reading Scores
State Rank/School System	2012-2013 Pass Rate	2013-2014 Pass Rate	2014-2015 Pass Rate
Ìý#T76ÌýFredericksburg City	Ìý72	Ìý69	Ìý76
Ìý#T95ÌýManassas City	Ìý63	Ìý66	72
Ìý#T105ÌýAlexandria City	67	Ìý66	Ìý71
Ìý#T105ÌýManassas Park City	Ìý72	Ìý65	Ìý71

 

Among economically disadvantaged students, West Point also leads the way on reading tests with a 91 percent pass rate, followed by Wise and Scott counties at 83 and 80 percent respectively.

Seventy-oneÌýpercent of economically disadvantaged students in Orange County passed the reading tests, as did 70 percent in Prince William and Stafford, 69 percent in Arlington and Falls Church, and 68 percent in Fairfax County.

Alexandria had the lowest pass rate for economically disadvantaged students of any Northern Virginia jurisdictions at 59 percent. Only 15 school systems in the state had lower rates — Lexington had the lowest pass rate for economically disadvantaged students at just 42 percent, up from 39 percent last year.

Math

Falls Church also leads the way on math pass rates in Northern Virginia, behind West Point and Wise. Alexandria is ranked lower than any other Northern Virginia school division.

Alexandria still has much higher pass rates than the lowest ranked systems in the state. Buena Vista, Petersburg, Brunswick County and Martinsville each saw less than 60 percent of students pass math SOLs.

All Students, Highest MathÌýScores
State Rank/School System	2012-2013 Pass Rate	2013-2014 Pass Rate	2014-2015 Pass Rate
Ìý#3 Falls Church City	Ìý87	Ìý90	Ìý90
Ìý#T10 Arlington County	Ìý81	Ìý83	87
Ìý#T18ÌýLoudoun CountyÌý	79	Ìý81	Ìý85
Ìý#T24ÌýStafford County	Ìý79	Ìý80	Ìý84
Ìý#T28ÌýFairfax County	Ìý79	Ìý81	83
Ìý#T32ÌýCulpeper County	Ìý70	Ìý75	82

 

All Students, LowestÌýMathÌýScores
State Rank/School System	2012-2013 Pass Rate	2013-2014 Pass Rate	2014-2015 Pass Rate
Ìý#T60ÌýManassas City	Ìý63	Ìý71	Ìý78
Ìý#T78ÌýManassas Park City	Ìý67	Ìý72	76
Ìý#T78ÌýOrange County	70	Ìý72	Ìý76
Ìý#T88ÌýFredericksburg City	Ìý66	Ìý72	Ìý75
#117ÌýAlexandria City	Ìý63	64	69

 

In math, Northern Virginia students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds had the highest pass rate in Arlington, at 76 percent, followed by a 74 percent pass rate in Stafford County and 73 percent in Manassas City Schools.

In science, Falls Church City schools are again the top in Northern Virginia with a 90 percent pass rate (tied for fifth statewide), followed closely by Loudoun County with a 89 percent pass rate (seventh).

In history and social sciences, Falls Church, Loudoun and Fairfax counties all had pass rates of 90 percent or higher this year.

Prince William, Stafford, Arlington and Fauquier counties were just a few percentage points back.Ìý Alexandria had the lowest pass rate in Northern Virginia in history and social studies at 77 percent.

Statewide, about four out of five tests administered this year earned a passing score.