What could be the reason for a sudden and dramatic drop in test scores at a particular ES?

[Anonymous]

The rating for our neighborhood elementary school suddenly took a nosedive this year from a 7 to a 4. Presumably this is because the test scores also had a sudden and dramatic drop (particularly in math). For example, the SOL pass rate for Grade 3 math was 91% in 2011 and 42% in 2012. For Grade 5 the pass rates went from 98% to 66%.

I'm not aware of any redistricting in the past year that would substantially change the demographics. We're relatively new to the neighborhood and our kids are still too young for school so I don't know any parents that I could ask. What could be going on? We have another few years before DD starts kindergarten but I'll admit that I'm a little concerned. Anyone out there with knowledge of this situation? Any hypotheses?

http://www.greatschools.org/modperl/achievement/va/559#from..HeaderLink

[Anonymous]

http://washingtonexaminer.com/virginia-students-math-scores-plunge/article/309081

Virginia students' math scores plunge

SOL exams have more challenging content

Virginia students' scores dropped dramatically on math exams, with just 49 percent of test-takers passing the Algebra I test last fall, after the state made its math standards more challenging.

Barely half of students who took the Standards of Learning, or SOL, Algebra II test last semester passed the exam, compared to the 85-percent pass-rate in 2010. In geometry, 63 percent of students passed, down from 79 percent the prior year.

http://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/237793.page

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:http://washingtonexaminer.com/virginia-students-math-scores-plunge/article/309081

Virginia students' math scores plunge

SOL exams have more challenging content

Virginia students' scores dropped dramatically on math exams, with just 49 percent of test-takers passing the Algebra I test last fall, after the state made its math standards more challenging.

Barely half of students who took the Standards of Learning, or SOL, Algebra II test last semester passed the exam, compared to the 85-percent pass-rate in 2010. In geometry, 63 percent of students passed, down from 79 percent the prior year.

http://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/237793.page

Thanks, that makes sense. I wasn't aware of the change.

[Anonymous]

They'll be making changes to the Language Arts portions of the SOL for this year, so brace yourself for a similar type of drop on those scores.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They'll be making changes to the Language Arts portions of the SOL for this year, so brace yourself for a similar type of drop on those scores.

Also the Science SOL.

[Anonymous]

What do the kids do it they fail the SOL?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What do the kids do it they fail the SOL?

At which level? HS? ES?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What do the kids do it they fail the SOL?

HS students must pass a certain number of SOLs by subject in order to graduate. This is not generally a problem for bright and average kids, but can a barrier to those who have always struggled to keep up in school. At the MS and ES levels, the SOLs reflect more on the teacher and the school than on the student. Children are NOT held back for not passing, but might receive extra academic attention the next year to help them to a passing score.