 |
This article may require copy-editing for grammar, style, cohesion, tone or spelling. You can assist by editing it. (August 2009) |
Standards of Learning or (SOL) is a program of the Commonwealth of Virginia. It sets forth learning and achievement expectations for grades K-12 in Virginia's Public Schools. The standards represent what many teachers, school administrators, parents, and business and community leaders believe schools should teach and students should learn.
Contents |
History
In 1992, the state was trying to adopt the Common Core of Learning. Here is an excerpt from the draft of Virginia's Common Core of Learning:
[A] student who is becoming a fulfilled individual uses the fundamental skills of thinking, problem solving, communicating, quantifying, and collaborating...to analyze personal strengths and limitations to improve behaviors, capabilities, and plans… [1]
There was a "grassroots" movement, largely parent-driven, which opposed the adoption of the Common Core of Learning. It held no meaningful education plan, and seemed to be putting more emphasis on behavioral issues than education issues. After a debate which took place at Huguenot High School, the Common Core of Learning was discarded. What resulted instead were the Standards of Learning--a creation process that involved parents, teachers, and common citizens. [2]
Establishing standards
In June 1995, the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) approved Standards of Learning in four core content areas - mathematics, science, English, and history and the social sciences. In September 1997, the Board of Education established new Standards for Accrediting Public Schools in Virginia (SOA) that link statewide accountability tests to the SOL and hold students, schools, and school divisions accountable for results.
The results of the SOLs directly affect the school that administered them, more than the student. If a certain passing rate is not met each year, the school can lose its accreditation.[3] This sets higher standards for employment. The published results of the testing also help parents who are looking for schools with high achievement for their children.
Before the SOLs were implemented, the tests required to graduate affected the student, not the school. All that was required to graduate high school was to pass a sixth-grade level test. [4] Then, after graduating, 24-25% of the new college freshmen needed remedial help. This level of literacy was unacceptable for the demands of the 21st century. The SOLs set the bar higher for test-oriented education.
Results over ten years
In 1998, the first year of SOL testing, only 2 percent of the commonwealth’s public schools met the standard for full accreditation. The percentage of schools meeting the state’s accreditation standards increased to 6.5 percent in 1999, 22 percent in 2000, 40 percent in 2001, 64 percent in 2002, 78 percent in 2003, and 84 percent in 2004.
In October 2005, the State reported that students in 1,685, or 92 percent, of the commonwealth’s 1,834 schools receiving accreditation ratings for 2005-2006, met or exceeded state achievement objectives on Standards of Learning (SOL) tests and other statewide assessments in the four core academic areas.[1]
The VDOE stopped reporting statewide results in 2006. However, complete results of all assessments in grades 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8, and end-of-course tests for fall, spring,and summer may be found on the School Report Cards.
Scoring
A student must get 66% (400) or higher on their SOL(s) in order to advance to the next grade. Passing with 83% (500) is considered Advanced/Proficient. A perfect score is 600 (100%). [2]
Controversy
The initial creation of the SOLs caused extensive debate around both the validity of the tests and the administration of the process. Debate was made more heated by the Department of Education and the Secretary of Education refusing to reveal information about tests or how the tests were created. The Department of Education was concerned that releasing actual tests would encourage "teaching to the test" and parents and educators were concerned the tests would be poorly done and not test what the designers thought they were testing. Add to that the issue of how the social studies section was a departure from how the state had previously been teaching the subject, and you had all the makings of a political dustup. [3]
It has been thought that true learning is lost with a curriculum that is completely centered around the passing of a single test. More emphasis is put on rote memorization than on truly absorbing the information. The test is also given as though all children learn the same way; it lumps them together. Children need to be considered individually, and not thrown on an assembly line of learning just for the sake of a school's credibility.[5]
Helping students
There are Alternative assessments for the SOL tests. These include:
Virginia Grade Level Alternative (VGLA)
Virginia Alternate Assessment Program (VAAP)
Virginia Substitute Evaluation Program (VSEP)
References
External links
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
This article relating to education in the U.S. is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)
