Raise your hand if you got "the call" about SOLs

[Anonymous]

Retake or not, but over 90% pass, so not passing is a reason to asses and reflect on your child's situation. Sometimes "it is what it is" and that's fine. But sometimes it's test anxiety and it's worthwhile to get some reps under their belt or counseling/therapy for when the tests matter. Being in the bottom 10% is fine, but root cause analysis is useful.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What is this 6 hours? Each elementary test takes about 1 hour to complete.

Uh, no. Not even close.

- Grades 3 and 4 Reading each have 47 questions. It is EXTREMELY unlikely that a student could read all those passages and answer 47 questions in one hour.
- Grade 3 math has 50 questions. It is very unlikely that a student could complete 50 questions in one hour.
- Grades 4, 5, and 6 (non-CAT grade 6 that is) math each have 60 questions. It is very unlikely that a student could complete 60 questions in one hour.
- Grade 5 Reading has 50 questions. It is EXTREMELY unlikely that a student could read all those passages and answer 50 questions in one hour.
- Grade 6 Reading has 55 questions. It is EXTREMELY unlikely that a student could read all those passages and answer 55 questions in one hour.

[Anonymous]

It is more than 50 percent to pass in elementary at least. Depending on the test it as least low 60s to pass....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is this 6 hours? Each elementary test takes about 1 hour to complete.

Uh, no. Not even close.

- Grades 3 and 4 Reading each have 47 questions. It is EXTREMELY unlikely that a student could read all those passages and answer 47 questions in one hour.
- Grade 3 math has 50 questions. It is very unlikely that a student could complete 50 questions in one hour.
- Grades 4, 5, and 6 (non-CAT grade 6 that is) math each have 60 questions. It is very unlikely that a student could complete 60 questions in one hour.
- Grade 5 Reading has 50 questions. It is EXTREMELY unlikely that a student could read all those passages and answer 50 questions in one hour.
- Grade 6 Reading has 55 questions. It is EXTREMELY unlikely that a student could read all those passages and answer 55 questions in one hour.

They are multiple choice questions. I know our school only has them during the morning session before lunch which is at 11:00 and everyone is done by then, so it's not taking them 6 hours typically to take these tests. There's only one test a day and they are each graded separately, so you'd only get a call about the test or tests that a child didn't pass.

[Anonymous]

My 6th grader finished her reading test in 52 min. and then had to sit there for 2.5 hrs waiting. So, not it is not "extremely unlikely that a student could read all those passages and answer 55 questions in one hour."

I think your assessment of what kids can do in an hour is off base.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It is more than 50 percent to pass in elementary at least. Depending on the test it as least low 60s to pass....

yes and no. I had read in the past that the passing score for elem math was 25 out of 50 to pass and 45 out of 50 for pass adv. Not sure if that was just for a certain year or what. But, I found this chart for 2016. Some courses are closer to 50% and some are 60% for passing.

http://www.pen.k12.va.us/testing/scoring/sol-cut-scores.pdf

[Anonymous]

Remember, this is what the public says they want: tests that hold teachers accountable for teaching certain content. If you don't like the testing, complain to the politicians.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is more than 50 percent to pass in elementary at least. Depending on the test it as least low 60s to pass....

yes and no. I had read in the past that the passing score for elem math was 25 out of 50 to pass and 45 out of 50 for pass adv. Not sure if that was just for a certain year or what. But, I found this chart for 2016. Some courses are closer to 50% and some are 60% for passing.

http://www.pen.k12.va.us/testing/scoring/sol-cut-scores.pdf

The adaptive tests do not necessarily result in as many questions as listed on this sheet.

[Anonymous]

I'm a teacher and posted earlier. My students finish times finish between 25 minutes and 2 hours.

[Anonymous]

So if you don't pass SOLs in ES or MS there is no need for a retake? It doesn't affect you?

Only need to retake in HS? Is that correct?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Retake or not, but over 90% pass, so not passing is a reason to asses and reflect on your child's situation. Sometimes "it is what it is" and that's fine. But sometimes it's test anxiety and it's worthwhile to get some reps under their belt or counseling/therapy for when the tests matter. Being in the bottom 10% is fine, but root cause analysis is useful.

This will be my child.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My 6th grader finished her reading test in 52 min. and then had to sit there for 2.5 hrs waiting. So, not it is not "extremely unlikely that a student could read all those passages and answer 55 questions in one hour."

I think your assessment of what kids can do in an hour is off base.

Maybe my assessment is off-base, but I'm basing my estimate on the amount of time my 1500+ students have needed over the past 12-15 years (125-150 students per year). When the reading SOL was still fairly new, I taught students in one of the "selected" grade-levels who took the test, so I've been involved with SOL assessments for many, many years.

[Anonymous]

So if you don't pass SOLs in ES ... there is no need for a retake? It doesn't affect you?

... Is that correct?

At our ES all students who didn't pass an SOL were grouped together in the same class the following year. Let's call it tracking.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm a teacher and posted earlier. My students finish times finish between 25 minutes and 2 hours.

This teacher's experience mirrors my own. But what I think he or she means is that those times apply to one session of the reading or math test. Those are two-day tests.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

So if you don't pass SOLs in ES ... there is no need for a retake? It doesn't affect you?

... Is that correct?

At our ES all students who didn't pass an SOL were grouped together in the same class the following year. Let's call it tracking.

What if your kid is in AAP? They can't track them. Do all AAP kids pass SOLs? Don't they take the SOLs of the year ahead of them? My oldest is in K so I know nothing.