Failed SOL notifications already?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is there a way to look up SOL scores online? How are high schoolers being notified?

My high schooler knows she at least passed her chemistry SOL (taken on 5/23) because the SIS gradebook now shows an item for SOL Bonus. She does not know her specific score.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The SOL score does not define the child. But it is a number that has value to a variety of stakeholders and it is important for parents to track because it is produced without any ability for rater bias to occur. The SOL score can help parents understand where their children are relative to their peers and the curriculum established by the state.

The tests now are computerized. Within 1/10 of a second of a child hitting submit his or her score can be seen by those with the proper authorization since they have the code. At some schools, even the teachers have the access codes.

Those parents/children who are learning they haven't passed most likely are in the 375-399 group. Many schools will now remediate with those children for the next few weeks before the retake to get the child over 400.

The stakes are high for the schools and for the community since the over-all pass rates for schools determine funding and freedom from restrictive regulations by the state. Additionally, the ratings on things like Great Schools depend heavily on them, which helps or hurts homeowners and business owners. At many elementary and middle school levels, scores on the SOLs may be used by administrators to determine class placement. Thus, achieving a passing score could be a great boon to your child. At our school, many children who don't pass are put into a remediation program for the next year and lose a special/elective.

If you are asked if your child can retake then you should consider it unless, as some prior posters have indicated, it will be too stressful for the child. For most children it should not be too stressful.

If a child is failing an SOL, given the low pass benchmarks, then as a parent I would not allow a retake. I'll take the year of remediation over a week of cramming to just get by. While retakes may improve property values, they aren't in the best interest of the individual child, and my child's education, including getting appropriate remediation over the next year, is more important than property values or making the school look better. The retakes basically make it easier for schools to avoid putting in the necessary effort to help kids who really need it. I guarantee you that a week of reteaching does nothing to improve the core understanding of the child. Also, maybe getting remediation is more important to later success than being able to take a special or elective.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've never understood why parents object to their child retaking a test. If it is borderline, why wouldn't you be having a conference to discuss why this happened? They are easy tests. Couldn't this lead to more help during the end of the year and more help the following year? Also, why would you want your child to have a failing record if there was a chance they could pass the test?

Well I can give you my story, maybe that will help you understand. The school will not give extra help to a child that passed the SOL, even if just borderline passed. To them, pass is pass. So no, they will not get help the following year.

My child floundered for years and I held meetings every single year to discuss my concerns. To them there was no problem because he was passing, never mind that their standards are very low and they will also say things like , "well, he's a boy they often read later or don't like writing".

He failed his reading SOL and they asked if he could retake it. I said no. At the next meeting I had leverage for getting him services and it was the ONLY way they finally listened to me and gave him an IEP. They could no longer say he was fine, that he was passing, etc. They did try to pull the well he was borderline on the SOL crap which is when I had to explain to them that a fail is a fail.

That makes sense although I think the school should help either way. Your approach is much better than the parent who doesn't want her kids to even take a test. This test was the final push to get your child the help he needed. Which is what it is intended to do. Make sure kids don't fall through the cracks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The SOL score does not define the child. But it is a number that has value to a variety of stakeholders and it is important for parents to track because it is produced without any ability for rater bias to occur. The SOL score can help parents understand where their children are relative to their peers and the curriculum established by the state.

The tests now are computerized. Within 1/10 of a second of a child hitting submit his or her score can be seen by those with the proper authorization since they have the code. At some schools, even the teachers have the access codes.

Those parents/children who are learning they haven't passed most likely are in the 375-399 group. Many schools will now remediate with those children for the next few weeks before the retake to get the child over 400.

The stakes are high for the schools and for the community since the over-all pass rates for schools determine funding and freedom from restrictive regulations by the state. Additionally, the ratings on things like Great Schools depend heavily on them, which helps or hurts homeowners and business owners. At many elementary and middle school levels, scores on the SOLs may be used by administrators to determine class placement. Thus, achieving a passing score could be a great boon to your child. At our school, many children who don't pass are put into a remediation program for the next year and lose a special/elective.

If you are asked if your child can retake then you should consider it unless, as some prior posters have indicated, it will be too stressful for the child. For most children it should not be too stressful.

If a child is failing an SOL, given the low pass benchmarks, then as a parent I would not allow a retake. I'll take the year of remediation over a week of cramming to just get by. While retakes may improve property values, they aren't in the best interest of the individual child, and my child's education, including getting appropriate remediation over the next year, is more important than property values or making the school look better. The retakes basically make it easier for schools to avoid putting in the necessary effort to help kids who really need it. I guarantee you that a week of reteaching does nothing to improve the core understanding of the child. Also, maybe getting remediation is more important to later success than being able to take a special or elective.

I understand your reasoning. Please understand this: passing with a score of 401 and not passing with a score of 399 are not materially different and, likely, the two point difference is from one question, which the child may or may not have corrected upon review if the test was not adaptive.

A score of 375 may be as many as 4 or 5 questions from passing out of a total of 50-60; 4-5 questions is fewer than 10% to improve to pass.

A parent is not a bad parent for allowing a child to remediate. Most remediation is targeted to the specific 'low' area of the child. The teachers have quite a comprehensive report with which to work that identifies by standard and type of question/s (high, medium, low).

I have no problem allowing my child go focus on a 'low' area and retaking the entire test with a goal of passing. I do not have worries that this will 'do(es) noting to improve the core understanding of the child' because, in fact, two weeks of tailored instruction definitely DOES improve the core understanding of the child.

But different strokes for different folks. If you prefer to remediate over the course of a year then, by all means, please do so.

[Anonymous]

Failing an SOL doesn't necessarily get you more services or remediation. I think passing a retake can help a kid's confidence. Can you imagine failing at a school with 90% pass rates? That must feel awful for a kid.

[Anonymous]

Schools give the scores back different ways. I post the scores using the online grading system and mark it not for grading. That way parents and kids can get their scores privately and have time to talk with me if they have questions. By middle school, kids really want to know they did. Wouldn't you?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Failing an SOL doesn't necessarily get you more services or remediation. I think passing a retake can help a kid's confidence. Can you imagine failing at a school with 90% pass rates? That must feel awful for a kid.

Yes it does mean your child gets remediation. The school is required to provide it for every child who fails.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Failing an SOL doesn't necessarily get you more services or remediation. I think passing a retake can help a kid's confidence. Can you imagine failing at a school with 90% pass rates? That must feel awful for a kid.

Yes it does mean your child gets remediation. The school is required to provide it for every child who fails.

The required minimum is one hour.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Failing an SOL doesn't necessarily get you more services or remediation. I think passing a retake can help a kid's confidence. Can you imagine failing at a school with 90% pass rates? That must feel awful for a kid.

in elementary school a child never has to know if they passed or failed a SOL UNLESS a parent tells them! Therefore at that level, boosting confidence is irrelevant unless you tell them they failed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So is the school at fault for trying to increase its pass rate since that's how they're evaluated? If the student is really close like a 399 and could potentially pass the next time is the school wrong for recommending a retake?

I don't think it's about fault, I think it's about what's in the best interest of a child. If a third grader is dreading the reading SOL, takes HOURS to complete it, is so relieved it's over, and gets a 390, is a retake in the best interest of the child? Or is it in the best interest of the child to tell them that the reading SOL isn't the be-all, end-all, and look at these other ways you're continuing to grow as a reader? I don't know. Although I do think that if a third grader already thinks the SOLs are the be-all, end-all, the school has already gone too far in terms of acting in its own interest and not in the best interest of young learners.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So is the school at fault for trying to increase its pass rate since that's how they're evaluated? If the student is really close like a 399 and could potentially pass the next time is the school wrong for recommending a retake?

I don't think it's about fault, I think it's about what's in the best interest of a child. If a third grader is dreading the reading SOL, takes HOURS to complete it, is so relieved it's over, and gets a 390, is a retake in the best interest of the child? Or is it in the best interest of the child to tell them that the reading SOL isn't the be-all, end-all, and look at these other ways you're continuing to grow as a reader? I don't know. Although I do think that if a third grader already thinks the SOLs are the be-all, end-all, the school has already gone too far in terms of acting in its own interest and not in the best interest of young learners.

You know, I agree with you that I don't think that is a typical response for a 3rd grade student to be 'so relieved it's over'. So, I get it. From your prior posts it is clear your child has anxiety and other issues. Please don't have your child re-take the test if it is such a stress-inducing activity to him/her. But, frankly, most other students don't suffer from the same mental health issues so if they are presented with the option of re-taking most will. That is okay. What you do for your child may be different from what others do for their children. It will all be okay. Breathe.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I've never understood why parents object to their child retaking a test. If it is borderline, why wouldn't you be having a conference to discuss why this happened? They are easy tests. Couldn't this lead to more help during the end of the year and more help the following year? Also, why would you want your child to have a failing record if there was a chance they could pass the test?

I'm a high school teacher and SOLs do not matter until graduation requirements. I signed to prevent my own elementary aged children from retaking any if they do not pass. I am not planning on giving them the scores when we eventually find out even if they score a 600. I do not like to focus on tests. They do enough of that in school.

In high school teachers know almost immediately and are allowed to tell the students. I do not know why they wait in elementary school.

[Anonymous]

DW and I both teach elementary students. We have always been in agreement that we would not have our own child retake an elementary SOL test.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The SOL score does not define the child. But it is a number that has value to a variety of stakeholders and it is important for parents to track because it is produced without any ability for rater bias to occur. The SOL score can help parents understand where their children are relative to their peers and the curriculum established by the state.

The tests now are computerized. Within 1/10 of a second of a child hitting submit his or her score can be seen by those with the proper authorization since they have the code. At some schools, even the teachers have the access codes.

Those parents/children who are learning they haven't passed most likely are in the 375-399 group. Many schools will now remediate with those children for the next few weeks before the retake to get the child over 400.

The stakes are high for the schools and for the community since the over-all pass rates for schools determine funding and freedom from restrictive regulations by the state. Additionally, the ratings on things like Great Schools depend heavily on them, which helps or hurts homeowners and business owners. At many elementary and middle school levels, scores on the SOLs may be used by administrators to determine class placement. Thus, achieving a passing score could be a great boon to your child. At our school, many children who don't pass are put into a remediation program for the next year and lose a special/elective.

If you are asked if your child can retake then you should consider it unless, as some prior posters have indicated, it will be too stressful for the child. For most children it should not be too stressful.

Thanks for posting this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So is the school at fault for trying to increase its pass rate since that's how they're evaluated? If the student is really close like a 399 and could potentially pass the next time is the school wrong for recommending a retake?

I don't think it's about fault, I think it's about what's in the best interest of a child. If a third grader is dreading the reading SOL, takes HOURS to complete it, is so relieved it's over, and gets a 390, is a retake in the best interest of the child? Or is it in the best interest of the child to tell them that the reading SOL isn't the be-all, end-all, and look at these other ways you're continuing to grow as a reader? I don't know. Although I do think that if a third grader already thinks the SOLs are the be-all, end-all, the school has already gone too far in terms of acting in its own interest and not in the best interest of young learners.

You know, I agree with you that I don't think that is a typical response for a 3rd grade student to be 'so relieved it's over'. So, I get it. From your prior posts it is clear your child has anxiety and other issues. Please don't have your child re-take the test if it is such a stress-inducing activity to him/her. But, frankly, most other students don't suffer from the same mental health issues so if they are presented with the option of re-taking most will. That is okay. What you do for your child may be different from what others do for their children. It will all be okay. Breathe.

I'm not a parent, I'm a teacher/instructional coach in a Title I school where the stakes are very high with SOLs, and it's hard to see how much pressure is applied to the kids, as though their value and achievement is synonymous with their test scores. I'm all for accountability, but it's terrible what we're doing to children in some of our schools. Goes beyond retakes, I know.