SOL screwup

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oh the class he went to was Spanish? But the SOL was in reading correct? I still don’t understand how he would not know what to do. 8th graders already had the science SOL last week so it wasn’t his first one.

Regardless, the 8th grade SOL doesn’t make any difference so if you want to skip it doesn’t matter for any future classes or requirements.

Different school systems have different SOL schedules. OP hasn’t told us which school system they’re in.

Bc this is made up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oh the class he went to was Spanish? But the SOL was in reading correct? I still don’t understand how he would not know what to do. 8th graders already had the science SOL last week so it wasn’t his first one.

Regardless, the 8th grade SOL doesn’t make any difference so if you want to skip it doesn’t matter for any future classes or requirements.

Different school systems have different SOL schedules. OP hasn’t told us which school system they’re in.

Bc this is made up.

Exactly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Yes, it was Spanish so mix of grades and teacher didn’t realize he was one of the kids supposed to be at the SOL. It was when he went to his next class, which was for his grade, that someone noticed him.

He is in 8th grade but this is his first year in this school and he’s only been going there since March (so maybe been there in person 12-14 times?). He doesn’t really know how things work or his way around since everything is so regimented and there are no assemblies and everyone wears masks etc. But sure, blame my kid for not knowing what to do or where to go for something he’s literally never done, when the school employs a testing coordinator and about 20 counselors and administrators.

Not the PP, but also confused. I'm just not sure I understand why your son knew to go to a class but didn't know to ask the teacher. You told him he was going to the SOL testing site for tht day but he just went to class? And didn't say anything for an hour?

Did someone tell him to go to class?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Yes, it was Spanish so mix of grades and teacher didn’t realize he was one of the kids supposed to be at the SOL. It was when he went to his next class, which was for his grade, that someone noticed him.

He is in 8th grade but this is his first year in this school and he’s only been going there since March (so maybe been there in person 12-14 times?). He doesn’t really know how things work or his way around since everything is so regimented and there are no assemblies and everyone wears masks etc. But sure, blame my kid for not knowing what to do or where to go for something he’s literally never done, when the school employs a testing coordinator and about 20 counselors and administrators.

Not the PP, but also confused. I'm just not sure I understand why your son knew to go to a class but didn't know to ask the teacher. You told him he was going to the SOL testing site for tht day but he just went to class? And didn't say anything for an hour?

Did someone tell him to go to class?

This is definitely not in the DC area if it’s true. There are not groups of some kids taking SOL‘s and some kids not where they go to their regular class. What an administrative nightmare that would be! Those not taking SOL‘s are all watching a movie together, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Yes, it was Spanish so mix of grades and teacher didn’t realize he was one of the kids supposed to be at the SOL. It was when he went to his next class, which was for his grade, that someone noticed him.

He is in 8th grade but this is his first year in this school and he’s only been going there since March (so maybe been there in person 12-14 times?). He doesn’t really know how things work or his way around since everything is so regimented and there are no assemblies and everyone wears masks etc. But sure, blame my kid for not knowing what to do or where to go for something he’s literally never done, when the school employs a testing coordinator and about 20 counselors and administrators.

Not the PP, but also confused. I'm just not sure I understand why your son knew to go to a class but didn't know to ask the teacher. You told him he was going to the SOL testing site for tht day but he just went to class? And didn't say anything for an hour?

Did someone tell him to go to class?

This is definitely not in the DC area if it’s true. There are not groups of some kids taking SOL‘s and some kids not where they go to their regular class. What an administrative nightmare that would be! Those not taking SOL‘s are all watching a movie together, etc.

Its APS. This is from one of the eight million emails they sent us:

"Testing Days for Hybrid Students

Students enrolled in the hybrid instructional model should attend school, like a normal school day. We do not have a modified testing schedule this school year and students are expected to attend their normally scheduled classes once testing is complete."

I don't know why it is so hard to believe that a middle school kid would walk into school and slip through the cracks. That is my complaint. The school has been obsessed with sending the parents emails and calling us constantly about the SOLs, but none of the communications said anything about what would happen once the kids got to school -- there was nothing about "go to X classroom" or "go to entrance 6 and look for the signs" or whatever, and no adult in the building seemed to recognize that he was an 8th grader who should have been in testing. The 6th and 7th graders did not have SOL testing that day (they do different grades on different days, I assume because they must use the auditorium or gym or something) so there were lots of other hybrid kids in the building going to classes.

In elementary he just went to school and took the SOL, I guess I assumed it would be the same in middle school and the students would not be responsible for getting themselves to the test location. It's not the SATs. It never occurred to me to tell my son to raise his hand or ask someone about it because I figured the school would be ALL OVER IT -- they have been bombarding us with phone calls and emails for weeks and weeks. That is why I am so annoyed. They kept haranging me with reminders, but apparently didn't tell us anything useful other than the DAY, and then managed to have a system that missed my kid so now he is supposed to do a makeup the third week of June which is the dumbest thing ever.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Yes, it was Spanish so mix of grades and teacher didn’t realize he was one of the kids supposed to be at the SOL. It was when he went to his next class, which was for his grade, that someone noticed him.

He is in 8th grade but this is his first year in this school and he’s only been going there since March (so maybe been there in person 12-14 times?). He doesn’t really know how things work or his way around since everything is so regimented and there are no assemblies and everyone wears masks etc. But sure, blame my kid for not knowing what to do or where to go for something he’s literally never done, when the school employs a testing coordinator and about 20 counselors and administrators.

Not the PP, but also confused. I'm just not sure I understand why your son knew to go to a class but didn't know to ask the teacher. You told him he was going to the SOL testing site for tht day but he just went to class? And didn't say anything for an hour?

Did someone tell him to go to class?

This is definitely not in the DC area if it’s true. There are not groups of some kids taking SOL‘s and some kids not where they go to their regular class. What an administrative nightmare that would be! Those not taking SOL‘s are all watching a movie together, etc.

Its APS. This is from one of the eight million emails they sent us:

"Testing Days for Hybrid Students

Students enrolled in the hybrid instructional model should attend school, like a normal school day. We do not have a modified testing schedule this school year and students are expected to attend their normally scheduled classes once testing is complete."

I don't know why it is so hard to believe that a middle school kid would walk into school and slip through the cracks. That is my complaint. The school has been obsessed with sending the parents emails and calling us constantly about the SOLs, but none of the communications said anything about what would happen once the kids got to school -- there was nothing about "go to X classroom" or "go to entrance 6 and look for the signs" or whatever, and no adult in the building seemed to recognize that he was an 8th grader who should have been in testing. The 6th and 7th graders did not have SOL testing that day (they do different grades on different days, I assume because they must use the auditorium or gym or something) so there were lots of other hybrid kids in the building going to classes.

In elementary he just went to school and took the SOL, I guess I assumed it would be the same in middle school and the students would not be responsible for getting themselves to the test location. It's not the SATs. It never occurred to me to tell my son to raise his hand or ask someone about it because I figured the school would be ALL OVER IT -- they have been bombarding us with phone calls and emails for weeks and weeks. That is why I am so annoyed. They kept haranging me with reminders, but apparently didn't tell us anything useful other than the DAY, and then managed to have a system that missed my kid so now he is supposed to do a makeup the third week of June which is the dumbest thing ever.

Which middle school? Ours has been modifying the bell schedule on testing days so kids don't miss class to take SOLs (unless they run over the anticipated testing time), and I know others have done the same. This is something that should be standardized policy at the central administration level, not left up to individual schools to mess around with.

[Anonymous]

OP, I'm sorry--it's definitely frustrating when reality doesn't match expectations.

This is a really good lesson though. Middle school expects kids to take more responsibility for themselves than elementary school does, and next year in high school it will be 10x more on your son to figure things out. He doesn't have to have all the answers, but at 14 years old he should have the skill set to ask questions when he's confused or doesn't understand what to do. This could have all been solved if he had just asked his Spanish teacher where he should be for the SOL instead of waiting for someone to notice he was missing, track him down, take him to the testing room, etc.

You say it's not fair that they expected him to know where to go, but...somehow all the other kids knew. What's different there? If half the kids were missing, I'd say you have a case, but if he was one of just a few who got confused, I'd really work on his self advocacy or 9th grade is going to be a big struggle.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, I'm sorry--it's definitely frustrating when reality doesn't match expectations.

This is a really good lesson though. Middle school expects kids to take more responsibility for themselves than elementary school does, and next year in high school it will be 10x more on your son to figure things out. He doesn't have to have all the answers, but at 14 years old he should have the skill set to ask questions when he's confused or doesn't understand what to do. This could have all been solved if he had just asked his Spanish teacher where he should be for the SOL instead of waiting for someone to notice he was missing, track him down, take him to the testing room, etc.

You say it's not fair that they expected him to know where to go, but...somehow all the other kids knew. What's different there? If half the kids were missing, I'd say you have a case, but if he was one of just a few who got confused, I'd really work on his self advocacy or 9th grade is going to be a big struggle.

I don't think he has any way of knowing who, of the four or five kids in his two-day-a-week hybrid Spanish class, is in 7th or 8th grade. It's his first year at the school and he has only seen these kids on screen and now in person a dozen times, distanced, with masks and never in any social setting. And if there were four kids physically there instead of six, why would he think anything was amiss--attendance is very spotty these days. He probably thought--since no one sent him to a SOL room and his Spanish teacher didn't say anything, and since it was the reading SOL--that it would be during 2nd period which was English. That's when the problem was figured out.

So glad everyone thinks the new kid who started middle school in its third year (where everyone assumes 8th graders know what to do, so no one explains anything) and doesn't really know any students or any teachers because they have mostly been in a virtual environment should have this SOL testing thing down, though, and since he didn't he's going to be a failure at high school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Yes, it was Spanish so mix of grades and teacher didn’t realize he was one of the kids supposed to be at the SOL. It was when he went to his next class, which was for his grade, that someone noticed him.

He is in 8th grade but this is his first year in this school and he’s only been going there since March (so maybe been there in person 12-14 times?). He doesn’t really know how things work or his way around since everything is so regimented and there are no assemblies and everyone wears masks etc. But sure, blame my kid for not knowing what to do or where to go for something he’s literally never done, when the school employs a testing coordinator and about 20 counselors and administrators.

Not the PP, but also confused. I'm just not sure I understand why your son knew to go to a class but didn't know to ask the teacher. You told him he was going to the SOL testing site for tht day but he just went to class? And didn't say anything for an hour?

Did someone tell him to go to class?

This is definitely not in the DC area if it’s true. There are not groups of some kids taking SOL‘s and some kids not where they go to their regular class. What an administrative nightmare that would be! Those not taking SOL‘s are all watching a movie together, etc.

Its APS. This is from one of the eight million emails they sent us:

"Testing Days for Hybrid Students

Students enrolled in the hybrid instructional model should attend school, like a normal school day. We do not have a modified testing schedule this school year and students are expected to attend their normally scheduled classes once testing is complete."

I don't know why it is so hard to believe that a middle school kid would walk into school and slip through the cracks. That is my complaint. The school has been obsessed with sending the parents emails and calling us constantly about the SOLs, but none of the communications said anything about what would happen once the kids got to school -- there was nothing about "go to X classroom" or "go to entrance 6 and look for the signs" or whatever, and no adult in the building seemed to recognize that he was an 8th grader who should have been in testing. The 6th and 7th graders did not have SOL testing that day (they do different grades on different days, I assume because they must use the auditorium or gym or something) so there were lots of other hybrid kids in the building going to classes.

In elementary he just went to school and took the SOL, I guess I assumed it would be the same in middle school and the students would not be responsible for getting themselves to the test location. It's not the SATs. It never occurred to me to tell my son to raise his hand or ask someone about it because I figured the school would be ALL OVER IT -- they have been bombarding us with phone calls and emails for weeks and weeks. That is why I am so annoyed. They kept haranging me with reminders, but apparently didn't tell us anything useful other than the DAY, and then managed to have a system that missed my kid so now he is supposed to do a makeup the third week of June which is the dumbest thing ever.

Which middle school? Ours has been modifying the bell schedule on testing days so kids don't miss class to take SOLs (unless they run over the anticipated testing time), and I know others have done the same. This is something that should be standardized policy at the central administration level, not left up to individual schools to mess around with.

Must be Gunston or Swanson. All the rest have posted SOL calendars, and none of them fit OP’s story. Gunston did have only the 8th grade reading SOL yesterday, so that could be it. Swanson doesn’t have their calendar publicly available so no way to check, but I have heard parents say their communication has been a shitshow this year.

Either way, agreed that this was a poor choice by the administration to force kids to miss substantive live instruction for SOLs, and it should be set by central policy so individual schools can’t do this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Yes, it was Spanish so mix of grades and teacher didn’t realize he was one of the kids supposed to be at the SOL. It was when he went to his next class, which was for his grade, that someone noticed him.

He is in 8th grade but this is his first year in this school and he’s only been going there since March (so maybe been there in person 12-14 times?). He doesn’t really know how things work or his way around since everything is so regimented and there are no assemblies and everyone wears masks etc. But sure, blame my kid for not knowing what to do or where to go for something he’s literally never done, when the school employs a testing coordinator and about 20 counselors and administrators.

Not the PP, but also confused. I'm just not sure I understand why your son knew to go to a class but didn't know to ask the teacher. You told him he was going to the SOL testing site for tht day but he just went to class? And didn't say anything for an hour?

Did someone tell him to go to class?

This is definitely not in the DC area if it’s true. There are not groups of some kids taking SOL‘s and some kids not where they go to their regular class. What an administrative nightmare that would be! Those not taking SOL‘s are all watching a movie together, etc.

Its APS. This is from one of the eight million emails they sent us:

"Testing Days for Hybrid Students

Students enrolled in the hybrid instructional model should attend school, like a normal school day. We do not have a modified testing schedule this school year and students are expected to attend their normally scheduled classes once testing is complete."

I don't know why it is so hard to believe that a middle school kid would walk into school and slip through the cracks. That is my complaint. The school has been obsessed with sending the parents emails and calling us constantly about the SOLs, but none of the communications said anything about what would happen once the kids got to school -- there was nothing about "go to X classroom" or "go to entrance 6 and look for the signs" or whatever, and no adult in the building seemed to recognize that he was an 8th grader who should have been in testing. The 6th and 7th graders did not have SOL testing that day (they do different grades on different days, I assume because they must use the auditorium or gym or something) so there were lots of other hybrid kids in the building going to classes.

In elementary he just went to school and took the SOL, I guess I assumed it would be the same in middle school and the students would not be responsible for getting themselves to the test location. It's not the SATs. It never occurred to me to tell my son to raise his hand or ask someone about it because I figured the school would be ALL OVER IT -- they have been bombarding us with phone calls and emails for weeks and weeks. That is why I am so annoyed. They kept haranging me with reminders, but apparently didn't tell us anything useful other than the DAY, and then managed to have a system that missed my kid so now he is supposed to do a makeup the third week of June which is the dumbest thing ever.

Which middle school? Ours has been modifying the bell schedule on testing days so kids don't miss class to take SOLs (unless they run over the anticipated testing time), and I know others have done the same. This is something that should be standardized policy at the central administration level, not left up to individual schools to mess around with.

Must be Gunston or Swanson. All the rest have posted SOL calendars, and none of them fit OP’s story. Gunston did have only the 8th grade reading SOL yesterday, so that could be it. Swanson doesn’t have their calendar publicly available so no way to check, but I have heard parents say their communication has been a shitshow this year.

Either way, agreed that this was a poor choice by the administration to force kids to miss substantive live instruction for SOLs, and it should be set by central policy so individual schools can’t do this.

Also, it look lien yesterday was the first SOL for 8th graders at Gunston, so that fits with OP’s kid not having taken an SOL at school before to understand the procedure.

I’m sorry OP. It sounds like poor planning and communication by the school administration. I wouldn’t both having my kid make it up either.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:


Yes, it was Spanish so mix of grades and teacher didn’t realize he was one of the kids supposed to be at the SOL. It was when he went to his next class, which was for his grade, that someone noticed him.

He is in 8th grade but this is his first year in this school and he’s only been going there since March (so maybe been there in person 12-14 times?). He doesn’t really know how things work or his way around since everything is so regimented and there are no assemblies and everyone wears masks etc. But sure, blame my kid for not knowing what to do or where to go for something he’s literally never done, when the school employs a testing coordinator and about 20 counselors and administrators.



Not the PP, but also confused. I'm just not sure I understand why your son knew to go to a class but didn't know to ask the teacher. You told him he was going to the SOL testing site for tht day but he just went to class? And didn't say anything for an hour?

Did someone tell him to go to class?



This is definitely not in the DC area if it’s true. There are not groups of some kids taking SOL‘s and some kids not where they go to their regular class. What an administrative nightmare that would be! Those not taking SOL‘s are all watching a movie together, etc.



Its APS. This is from one of the eight million emails they sent us:

"Testing Days for Hybrid Students

Students enrolled in the hybrid instructional model should attend school, like a normal school day. We do not have a modified testing schedule this school year and students are expected to attend their normally scheduled classes once testing is complete."

I don't know why it is so hard to believe that a middle school kid would walk into school and slip through the cracks. That is my complaint. The school has been obsessed with sending the parents emails and calling us constantly about the SOLs, but none of the communications said anything about what would happen once the kids got to school -- there was nothing about "go to X classroom" or "go to entrance 6 and look for the signs" or whatever, and no adult in the building seemed to recognize that he was an 8th grader who should have been in testing. The 6th and 7th graders did not have SOL testing that day (they do different grades on different days, I assume because they must use the auditorium or gym or something) so there were lots of other hybrid kids in the building going to classes.

In elementary he just went to school and took the SOL, I guess I assumed it would be the same in middle school and the students would not be responsible for getting themselves to the test location. It's not the SATs. It never occurred to me to tell my son to raise his hand or ask someone about it because I figured the school would be ALL OVER IT -- they have been bombarding us with phone calls and emails for weeks and weeks. That is why I am so annoyed. They kept haranging me with reminders, but apparently didn't tell us anything useful other than the DAY, and then managed to have a system that missed my kid so now he is supposed to do a makeup the third week of June which is the dumbest thing ever.

A couple of thoughts:
12-14 times in a building is enough times to learn the ropes.
Why would you assume this is like elementary school? Your child is is 8th grade! They are old enough to find their way, or to ask a teacher instead of going to a class and sitting there saying nothing. You can blame the school all you want, but you need to face facts--your child does not have age-appropriate skills. You should work on this over the summer or high school is going to be a living hell for you and him.

[Anonymous]

Stop babying him and treating him like he's entitled.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:


Yes, it was Spanish so mix of grades and teacher didn’t realize he was one of the kids supposed to be at the SOL. It was when he went to his next class, which was for his grade, that someone noticed him.

He is in 8th grade but this is his first year in this school and he’s only been going there since March (so maybe been there in person 12-14 times?). He doesn’t really know how things work or his way around since everything is so regimented and there are no assemblies and everyone wears masks etc. But sure, blame my kid for not knowing what to do or where to go for something he’s literally never done, when the school employs a testing coordinator and about 20 counselors and administrators.



Not the PP, but also confused. I'm just not sure I understand why your son knew to go to a class but didn't know to ask the teacher. You told him he was going to the SOL testing site for tht day but he just went to class? And didn't say anything for an hour?

Did someone tell him to go to class?



This is definitely not in the DC area if it’s true. There are not groups of some kids taking SOL‘s and some kids not where they go to their regular class. What an administrative nightmare that would be! Those not taking SOL‘s are all watching a movie together, etc.



Its APS. This is from one of the eight million emails they sent us:

"Testing Days for Hybrid Students

Students enrolled in the hybrid instructional model should attend school, like a normal school day. We do not have a modified testing schedule this school year and students are expected to attend their normally scheduled classes once testing is complete."

I don't know why it is so hard to believe that a middle school kid would walk into school and slip through the cracks. That is my complaint. The school has been obsessed with sending the parents emails and calling us constantly about the SOLs, but none of the communications said anything about what would happen once the kids got to school -- there was nothing about "go to X classroom" or "go to entrance 6 and look for the signs" or whatever, and no adult in the building seemed to recognize that he was an 8th grader who should have been in testing. The 6th and 7th graders did not have SOL testing that day (they do different grades on different days, I assume because they must use the auditorium or gym or something) so there were lots of other hybrid kids in the building going to classes.

In elementary he just went to school and took the SOL, I guess I assumed it would be the same in middle school and the students would not be responsible for getting themselves to the test location. It's not the SATs. It never occurred to me to tell my son to raise his hand or ask someone about it because I figured the school would be ALL OVER IT -- they have been bombarding us with phone calls and emails for weeks and weeks. That is why I am so annoyed. They kept haranging me with reminders, but apparently didn't tell us anything useful other than the DAY, and then managed to have a system that missed my kid so now he is supposed to do a makeup the third week of June which is the dumbest thing ever.

A couple of thoughts:
12-14 times in a building is enough times to learn the ropes.
Why would you assume this is like elementary school? Your child is is 8th grade! They are old enough to find their way, or to ask a teacher instead of going to a class and sitting there saying nothing. You can blame the school all you want, but you need to face facts--your child does not have age-appropriate skills. You should work on this over the summer or high school is going to be a living hell for you and him.

DP. I think you need to simmer down a little. SOL testing is not the same as regular school attendance, so going into the building 12-14 times for regular school days doesn't tell you much about how it will work on SOL days. Also, I am surprised the school didn't do more to make sure people ended up in the right place. At our APS MS, there were staff stationed at all of the arrival doors making sure that everyone who was scheduled to take an SOL that morning knew where they were supposed to go. Yes, it's a good teaching moment for OP's kid, but it sounds like the school was too lax about making sure the kids understood how it would work, probably taking for granted that by 8th grade students would be familiar with the process and forgetting about kids who are new.

[Anonymous]

I have a hard time believing all these judgy posters would be so chill towards the school if it had been their kid who was there on time on testing day and somehow missed the test because they ended up in the wrong classroom.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a hard time believing all these judgy posters would be so chill towards the school if it had been their kid who was there on time on testing day and somehow missed the test because they ended up in the wrong classroom.

I’d be a little frustrated with my kid for not speaking up but I wouldn’t dwell on it.