Cuccinelli Proposes Rewriting SOLs

Republican gubernatorial candidate Ken Cuccinelli will propose revisions that would make Virginia's 20-year-old Standards of Learning less geared to memorized test answers.

The proposals also would allow children in underperforming schools to attend charter schools, private schools or other public schools.

Those are among education reform proposals Cuccinelli is rolling out Tuesday morning.

The proposals call for establishing a commission comprised of teachers, parents, lawmakers and college educators to study Virginia's SOLs and report recommendations to the General Assembly within a year. He's calling for a greater emphasis on problem-solving abilities than rote recitation of answers.

Options for failing schools include closing them and sending students to better-performing schools, opening charter schools and allowing tax credits for private school tuition.