This disclosure describes techniques for coding an enhancement layer in a scalable video coding (SVC) scheme. The techniques may be used in variable length coding of refinement coefficients of an enhancement layer of a SVC scheme. According to this disclosure, a method may comprise determining first statistics associated with a first type of video block. determining second statistics associated with a second type of video block, selecting a first variable length coding (VLC) table from a plurality of VLC tables to be used in coding the first type of video block based on the first statistics, selecting a second VLC table from the plurality of VLC tables to be used in coding the second type of video block based on the second statistics, coding video blocks of the first type based on the first VLC table, and coding video blocks of the second type based on the second VLC table.