Middle School student in AAP, surprising drop in SOL scores this year

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a 7th grade son who has since taking SOL's starting in 3rd has always scored well into the Pass Advanced range on all of his SOL's. At least a few times, he has scored 600's on Math and Reading. This year, he scored a 539 on English, and a 498 on Algebra. He was floored with his algebra score. He left the exam sure he aced it. He scored excellent scores on all the practice exams. In both English 7 AAP, and Algebra I Honors, he has straight A's all year. I am not overly concerned, but do wonder if I should have some worries at all. He does have a 504 plan for ADHD, but gets no special testing accommodations. He came home really upset, and I reassured him, "all is fine, you passed". This is a child who was seriously considering applying to TJ (with our great parental reservations), but now he fears his algebra score will prevent him from being a candidate.

OP. same here except DC is in 8th grade Algebra 1 Honor. Her current grade is A in class, and was very confident after the SOL, yet she only got 512, barely pass-advance.

Oh, FFS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a 7th grade son who has since taking SOL's starting in 3rd has always scored well into the Pass Advanced range on all of his SOL's. At least a few times, he has scored 600's on Math and Reading. This year, he scored a 539 on English, and a 498 on Algebra. He was floored with his algebra score. He left the exam sure he aced it. He scored excellent scores on all the practice exams. In both English 7 AAP, and Algebra I Honors, he has straight A's all year. I am not overly concerned, but do wonder if I should have some worries at all. He does have a 504 plan for ADHD, but gets no special testing accommodations. He came home really upset, and I reassured him, "all is fine, you passed". This is a child who was seriously considering applying to TJ (with our great parental reservations), but now he fears his algebra score will prevent him from being a candidate.

Did they make the SOL harder again this year? I had read an article a couple yrs ago when the SOL got harder students scores across the state dropped. It stated that at TJ nearly 100% tested at advanced, the yr it got harder something like less than 40% tested at advanced in reading or math.
Google it...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a 7th grade son who has since taking SOL's starting in 3rd has always scored well into the Pass Advanced range on all of his SOL's. At least a few times, he has scored 600's on Math and Reading. This year, he scored a 539 on English, and a 498 on Algebra. He was floored with his algebra score. He left the exam sure he aced it. He scored excellent scores on all the practice exams. In both English 7 AAP, and Algebra I Honors, he has straight A's all year. I am not overly concerned, but do wonder if I should have some worries at all. He does have a 504 plan for ADHD, but gets no special testing accommodations. He came home really upset, and I reassured him, "all is fine, you passed". This is a child who was seriously considering applying to TJ (with our great parental reservations), but now he fears his algebra score will prevent him from being a candidate.

Did they make the SOL harder again this year? I had read an article a couple yrs ago when the SOL got harder students scores across the state dropped. It stated that at TJ nearly 100% tested at advanced, the yr it got harder something like less than 40% tested at advanced in reading or math.
Google it...

The next round of changes for math SOLs will take place in the 2018-2019 school year. See:

http://doe.virginia.gov/administrators/superintendents_memos/2015/071-15a.pdf

[Anonymous]

OP, my 7th grader has a high A in Algebra but got his lowest SOL score to date on the algebra test. He usually gets 600s on the SOLs. He is very upset and I hate that because I always try to tell the kids that the SOLs are for the schools, not the students. I don't know if the test was harder this year or not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, my 7th grader has a high A in Algebra but got his lowest SOL score to date on the algebra test. He usually gets 600s on the SOLs. He is very upset and I hate that because I always try to tell the kids that the SOLs are for the schools, not the students. I don't know if the test was harder this year or not.

OP here, good to know. My DS was fine once his teacher told him he has done great in her class, the SOL will not affect his A (perfect scores all year), and that he's ready for Geometry. Perhaps we're both getting to the age where they're harder on themselves than we are.