Do you care how your kid does on SOL’s?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just by DCUM standards, I can’t blame teachers for stressing the importance of the tests: “Failing public schools”, “Good school vs bad school”, “Good teacher vs bad teacher”, “Our school’s rating dropped”, “Teachers should be held accountable for student progress”…

Exactly. These same people saying it "doesn't matter" are the ones spending $300k more for the "good schools" when they buy their house. If it doesn't matter, why aren't you thrilled to buy a more affordable house?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not even a little. I always tell the kids it's to help the state to assess the school and teachers. Has nothing to do with that actual kids. (The exceptions are the 6th grade AAP used for Algebra placement and then the stuff they have to pass for HS).

This before AAP change. Tell kids it’s to grade teachers and just a practice to learn how to take tests for kids and score doesn’t matter. After AAP change, admit I’d hope kids do well in math and reading in 1st and 2nd, but still would tell kids doesn’t matter other than to practice taking tests— and given kids never see test to know and learn from what get wrong, it is truly completely worthless to kids.

There are no SOLs before 3rd grade.

Is it ready then in 1st and 2nd? Same answer then for those and any other FCPS or state test where teacher doesn’t go over answer or have any way for kid to learn from them.

[Anonymous]

To our family, SOLs matter because a) it's a meter to see how they're doing for the year (even if it's a base level) and b) I want my kids to learn to care about exams.

[Anonymous]

No I don't even know when they hold them. I never mention them either before or after we get scores. My kids are both above average smart and have never gotten anything other than pass advance so perhaps I would feel different if that wasn't the case. But I know they are smart so talking about a test doesn't make any difference.

[Anonymous]

There are no SOLs before 3rd grade.


Is it ready then in 1st and 2nd? Same answer then for those and any other FCPS or state test where teacher doesn’t go over answer or have any way for kid to learn from them.

The SOL is quite literally a test to see if the Teacher has taught what they were supposed to. So, yes, they have "gone over the answers" in teaching the concepts. If your kid hasn't learned the concept, he likely won't understand or perform well on that part of the test.

I'm not sure what "Is it ready then in 1st and 2nd" means.....If you're referring to the Naglieri or COGAT, those really shouldn't be studied for. Those aren't tests for kids to learn from. Those are tests for the schools to learn about your kid.

[Anonymous]

Nope. I only care that they pass.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Nope. Not one bit. Even if they fail.

If they tried, and they failed, there is a problem that you should be concerned about.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Nope. My kid was stressing about one this am. He’s never passed one and he’s in 5th grade. I do not care if he passes or not. I will not make him retake it.

Not every student is at the same level, so if you’re OK with your kid failing then that’s totally fine. He may find the honors classes in middle school too hard; but again, if you’re OK with that then fine.

[Anonymous]

Kid gets perfect scores on SOLs so I am privileged to say I don't care. I know not everyone is in the same boat....and I think it's reasonable for parents to care. In fact, I am surprised so many say they don't but then spend thousands on tutoring and Kumon.

[Anonymous]

I do care. My child is in AAP with a decent WISC. I think anything less than a pass advanced would be clear lack of effort (my kid is used to skating through with minimal effort). So really it's about the effort because i know my child is capable. I also do want the school to get good ratings to keep my property value up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

There are no SOLs before 3rd grade.


Is it ready then in 1st and 2nd? Same answer then for those and any other FCPS or state test where teacher doesn’t go over answer or have any way for kid to learn from them.

The SOL is quite literally a test to see if the Teacher has taught what they were supposed to. So, yes, they have "gone over the answers" in teaching the concepts. If your kid hasn't learned the concept, he likely won't understand or perform well on that part of the test.

I'm not sure what "Is it ready then in 1st and 2nd" means.....If you're referring to the Naglieri or COGAT, those really shouldn't be studied for. Those aren't tests for kids to learn from. Those are tests for the schools to learn about your kid.

Maybe iReady?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

There are no SOLs before 3rd grade.

Is it ready then in 1st and 2nd? Same answer then for those and any other FCPS or state test where teacher doesn’t go over answer or have any way for kid to learn from them.

The SOL is quite literally a test to see if the Teacher has taught what they were supposed to. So, yes, they have "gone over the answers" in teaching the concepts. If your kid hasn't learned the concept, he likely won't understand or perform well on that part of the test.

I'm not sure what "Is it ready then in 1st and 2nd" means.....If you're referring to the Naglieri or COGAT, those really shouldn't be studied for. Those aren't tests for kids to learn from. Those are tests for the schools to learn about your kid.

If the whole class fails then that’s a reflection on the teacher. I wouldn’t say the same is true, especially in MS, if two kids failed.

[Anonymous]

I have a HS student and I told him to not give one care. Pass with a bare minimum. His actual grades matter more.

[Anonymous]

Yes and no.

Yes because they are a measure of what he has learned this year. But it is a crappy measure, and I think they should be later in the year so there is more time to teach the kids the material that they will be tested on.

No because it has no real impact on his grades and they don't really measure anything in depth. I think they are a waste of time and money and would prefer to get rid of them all together.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a very high stress/high strung perfectionist elementary school child, so yes I absolutely downplay them.

At the end of the day they are a useful metric to make sure my kid is absorbing information as expected.

This, but mine is in middle now. I tell her constantly that "SOLs don't matter one bit for you--they only matter for the teachers and the school." She still doesn't believe me. I also said, "literally every other test and even quiz this entire year matters more than this stupid SOL." She finally did say, "I only need to pass. It doesn't matter if I pass advanced." And I said, "You don't even need to pass!!!" The truth is, I do care how she does and I do think it is one metric to assess what she is learning, but she stresses about enough things in her life so I do not need this to be one of them. So to answer the question, yes I care, but no, I do not tell my kid I care.

I have a HS kid, too, but he never gets stressed about tests of any kind.

Mine has a gradebook grade for the SOL as a summative which means it matters the same as other tests.