How do Virginia SOLs work with IEPs?

[Anonymous]

I am considering moving to Virginia for my DS’s HS years but reading about the new enhanced SOLs has me anxious. DS has no learning disabilities but can just be pretty erratic when it comes to test taking. On top of everything else that I anticipate I need to do to get him into college, adding SOLs to the mix seems really stressful. But I’m wondering if kids with IEPs can be exempted or something? This is honesty enough of a concern that it might tip me over into moving to Maryland or staying in DCPS.

[Anonymous]

If your child has an IEP the school will work with them to get them to pass enough SOL tests so they graduate. They can retake the tests, and even if they don’t pass, they can be counted as good enough if they make progress. Don’t worry about this aspect of a move. I’d focus instead on making sure the kid has the appropriate accommodations in the IEP to ensure that they can make educational progress, and that there is a robust plan for after high school graduation. Many kids benefit from something other than the traditional college path. Best of luck to you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If your child has an IEP the school will work with them to get them to pass enough SOL tests so they graduate. They can retake the tests, and even if they don’t pass, they can be counted as good enough if they make progress. Don’t worry about this aspect of a move. I’d focus instead on making sure the kid has the appropriate accommodations in the IEP to ensure that they can make educational progress, and that there is a robust plan for after high school graduation. Many kids benefit from something other than the traditional college path. Best of luck to you.

Is that true for the Advanced Studies Diploma? he has a high IQ and terrible motor skills, so his only reasonable career path is through college. I’m pretty sure he will make academic progress- not worried about that so much as about high stakes testing. Over the course of a semester he can pull off doing fairly well in most classes so far (with few supports) but all bets are off for how he chooses to perform in a test on any given day.

[Anonymous]

OP some SOLs have a higher pass rate than others. The teachers and case managers know which ones are which, and they do work with the IEP students to make sure they pass enough of them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP some SOLs have a higher pass rate than others. The teachers and case managers know which ones are which, and they do work with the IEP students to make sure they pass enough of them.

Is this true for the advanced diplomas?

[Anonymous]

My kid with poor motor skill, ADHD, and autism passed all SOLs except one, and that was in middle school. It’s just not that big of a deal. They teach to the test, and once you are in high school you don’t have to pass that many. Like once you pass your first science one, you don’t have to take any more science SOLs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid with poor motor skill, ADHD, and autism passed all SOLs except one, and that was in middle school. It’s just not that big of a deal. They teach to the test, and once you are in high school you don’t have to pass that many. Like once you pass your first science one, you don’t have to take any more science SOLs.

That’s good to know. But I read that they are making the SOLs harder.

[Anonymous]

OP, nobody cares about advanced diploma. Plenty of kids who take APs and honors and get into good schools had the regular diploma for various reasons like not wanting to take as many years of a language or playing a sport and wanting extra time to get work done.

Nobody can tell you how the SOLs will work with the latest changes. What people are positing is the policy that was in place before these changes. I know for writing a lot of schools already ditched the SOL and do a work related or business writing test instead which was much easier for my kid than an SOL would have been. The reading SOLs are poorly written and can be confusing according to one of my friends who teaches so we actually got him plenty of help to pass and get it over with. Math SOLs are much easier than the final exams in the actual class.History and Biology SOLs were also easier than exams.

[Anonymous]

My son has ADHD and graduated from VA HS two years ago. He had a 504 and was used for these types of tests.

He was allowed to take the test on paper rather than on computer, if an option and was allowed to break up the test over multiple periods and take additional breaks. He also took the test in another area.

The test specific stuff all stemmed from an issue that we had with his math SOL when in 5th grade where he received the lowest score in the entire school because all he did was doodle using the computerized scratch pad.

Good Luck.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid with poor motor skill, ADHD, and autism passed all SOLs except one, and that was in middle school. It’s just not that big of a deal. They teach to the test, and once you are in high school you don’t have to pass that many. Like once you pass your first science one, you don’t have to take any more science SOLs.

That’s good to know. But I read that they are making the SOLs harder.

Virginia had some of the lowest standards in the country, so this is just getting Virginia closer to average. Even the new standards aren't tough.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My son has ADHD and graduated from VA HS two years ago. He had a 504 and was used for these types of tests.

He was allowed to take the test on paper rather than on computer, if an option and was allowed to break up the test over multiple periods and take additional breaks. He also took the test in another area.

The test specific stuff all stemmed from an issue that we had with his math SOL when in 5th grade where he received the lowest score in the entire school because all he did was doodle using the computerized scratch pad.

Good Luck.

lol doodling on the scratch pad is *exactly* the type of think my DS would pull. You get it!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid with poor motor skill, ADHD, and autism passed all SOLs except one, and that was in middle school. It’s just not that big of a deal. They teach to the test, and once you are in high school you don’t have to pass that many. Like once you pass your first science one, you don’t have to take any more science SOLs.

That’s good to know. But I read that they are making the SOLs harder.

Virginia had some of the lowest standards in the country, so this is just getting Virginia closer to average. Even the new standards aren't tough.

Good to know but I don’t think DCPS and MCPS require that students pass their tests to graduate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, nobody cares about advanced diploma. Plenty of kids who take APs and honors and get into good schools had the regular diploma for various reasons like not wanting to take as many years of a language or playing a sport and wanting extra time to get work done.

Nobody can tell you how the SOLs will work with the latest changes. What people are positing is the policy that was in place before these changes. I know for writing a lot of schools already ditched the SOL and do a work related or business writing test instead which was much easier for my kid than an SOL would have been. The reading SOLs are poorly written and can be confusing according to one of my friends who teaches so we actually got him plenty of help to pass and get it over with. Math SOLs are much easier than the final exams in the actual class.History and Biology SOLs were also easier than exams.

Is that really true about the diplomas? That would make a huge difference in how I think about this. Is there any data eg on Virginia college admissions and diploma type?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, nobody cares about advanced diploma. Plenty of kids who take APs and honors and get into good schools had the regular diploma for various reasons like not wanting to take as many years of a language or playing a sport and wanting extra time to get work done.

Nobody can tell you how the SOLs will work with the latest changes. What people are positing is the policy that was in place before these changes. I know for writing a lot of schools already ditched the SOL and do a work related or business writing test instead which was much easier for my kid than an SOL would have been. The reading SOLs are poorly written and can be confusing according to one of my friends who teaches so we actually got him plenty of help to pass and get it over with. Math SOLs are much easier than the final exams in the actual class.History and Biology SOLs were also easier than exams.

Is that really true about the diplomas? That would make a huge difference in how I think about this. Is there any data eg on Virginia college admissions and diploma type?

No one cares. Most kids going to college will have the core classes for the advanced degree but might not get it because they don’t take an online class or complete sequential electives, foreign languages don’t count. It isn’t awarded until they graduate, colleges don’t care.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid with poor motor skill, ADHD, and autism passed all SOLs except one, and that was in middle school. It’s just not that big of a deal. They teach to the test, and once you are in high school you don’t have to pass that many. Like once you pass your first science one, you don’t have to take any more science SOLs.

That’s good to know. But I read that they are making the SOLs harder.

Virginia had some of the lowest standards in the country, so this is just getting Virginia closer to average. Even the new standards aren't tough.

Good to know but I don’t think DCPS and MCPS require that students pass their tests to graduate.

You would be wrong about MCPS. MCPS has the comprehensive assessments in four subjects that are required for graduation.