SOLs unusually low scores in reading this year?

[Anonymous]

I posted this elsewhere, but it might be helpful.

The i-ready does not meaningfully test comprehension. Yes, there are passages -- both fiction and non-fiction (which are reused yearly and kids memorize). But the test is weighed in a way where those make up only 40 percent of your child's score. The other 60 percent? Phonics, phonemic awareness vocab, etc. Your kids are maxing out on these and probably testing on grade level or slightly above on the comprehension sections if they are in the 99th percentile.

This is skewing the scores higher (oddly, if your child is dyslexic it basically tanks the scores hence showing a real issue -- that's why the i-ready was really a screener for that reading issue but they managed to sell it to replace an actual teacher reading solo with your kid and assessing their skills with that).

Your child's comprehension score is probably flawed due to weak test design and their overall score is inflated.

The SOL reading comprehension section was indeed harder. The state is making the test more challenging on almost a yearly basis. So, this drift of scores down is expected.

But as a whole (unless you have a phonics and phonemic awareness issue), the i-ready massively inflates reading scores. It was never, ever meant to be the type of test it is being as -- it's a screener not a substantive assessment tool to tell your kid where their reading skills truly lie.

I actually like the new language arts programs. The kids are writing more and learning how to read critically -- something we are missing in school.

-AAP teacher.

[Anonymous]

Parent of a 3rd grader. Scores are not in parentvue, is that where everyone is seeing results? Teacher told my kids class they all passed but other than that nothing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Parent of a 3rd grader. Scores are not in parentvue, is that where everyone is seeing results? Teacher told my kids class they all passed but other than that nothing.

When did your kid take the test? It took a few days for the scores to get posted in ParentVue. They might not be up yet. Or maybe your school is one that likes to sit on the scores for a long time - do they do that with other tests like the IReady?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I predict that there'll be less fails, less pass advances and more pass proficients overall. Benchmark brought up the rear while stagnating the front.

Maybe you should find some English enrichment for your child similar to the math program you put him in to make sure he does well in math.

Tell me you’re insecure and racist without telling me you’re insecure and racist.

How on earth is this racist??? Almost everyone I know that has a child in AAP also has their child in math tutoring or somewhere like RSM, AoPS, or Mathnasium, regardless of their race. I'm actually really surprised that there isn't language arts enrichment courses available like Beast Academy/AoPs so that kids can read more advanced passages or write better essays. Honestly, I'd probably pay for that, my kids are terrible writers. Benchmark helped with writing, but they're not writing the 5 paragraph essays that I was writing in elementary school English.

AoPS has LA classes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My 6th grader get 495. I tell him it is not good even though I know he is not strong in literature. He tells me he even don't know the questions. This is his 1st SOL I believe.
Anyway, kind of relieved seeing some similar cases.

It’s fine. Don’t worry the poor kid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m an administrator. Our reading scores look fabulous. Up 8 percentage points with the overall pass rate. Kids that have never passed did great.

Which grade(s)?

Look, on teacher Facebpok pages, at what teachers across the state are saying about grades 7 and 8 reading tests. They are saying scores are down and there are almost no 600s. In the entire state.

Grades 7 and 8 are the two forgotten grades. They are the only grades that did not get the Benchmark curriculum like K-6. They are the losers from the Lucy Calkin era with no basal..,

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Benchmark assumes that you had the previous years to build on. It's possible that older students this year did fall a bit behind where they would have been because they needed to adjust to a totally new curriculum style. AAP also used to use its own curriculum for reading and now they're using the same one as everyone else with extentions to make it more rigorous.

Yeah. Keep telling yourself that. Keep drinking the KoolAid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I can see my kid's scaled score but not percentile... does anyone know how to locate the percentiles for this year?

How could their be percentiles when not everyone has even taken the test. Chill out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:“Dropping 75 points” could be 2-3 questions if typically high scoring.

The question to point calculation is seriously f’d up and obscure. When I used to teach middle school a 600 would be perfect and a 549 would be one missed question.

Yes I did not know until recently that the scaled scores are not linear. To go from 600 to 500, the kid can miss 3-5. To go from 499-400, the kid can miss something like 20.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My 6th grader get 495. I tell him it is not good even though I know he is not strong in literature. He tells me he even don't know the questions. This is his 1st SOL I believe.
Anyway, kind of relieved seeing some similar cases.

It’s fine. Don’t worry the poor kid.

A lot of ESOL kids struggle with SOLs so the fact that he passed it is great. The stories often are challenging if you don’t know the vocabulary or have the background knowledge for what is happening in the story. As his first SOL test you should be pleased with a 495- go get some ice cream and enjoy the end of the year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My 6th grader get 495. I tell him it is not good even though I know he is not strong in literature. He tells me he even don't know the questions. This is his 1st SOL I believe.
Anyway, kind of relieved seeing some similar cases.

It’s fine. Don’t worry the poor kid.

A lot of ESOL kids struggle with SOLs so the fact that he passed it is great. The stories often are challenging if you don’t know the vocabulary or have the background knowledge for what is happening in the story. As his first SOL test you should be pleased with a 495- go get some ice cream and enjoy the end of the year.

I am the Dad of that 495 kid. I don't actually worry too much. But I know he is kind of lazy boy so I don't want to miss the opportunity to kick his ass.

[Anonymous]

Does anyone even know what questions they ask on the SOL?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Parent of a 3rd grader. Scores are not in parentvue, is that where everyone is seeing results? Teacher told my kids class they all passed but other than that nothing.

When did your kid take the test? It took a few days for the scores to get posted in ParentVue. They might not be up yet. Or maybe your school is one that likes to sit on the scores for a long time - do they do that with other tests like the IReady?

Yes it's months before they post iready scores.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Parent of a 3rd grader. Scores are not in parentvue, is that where everyone is seeing results? Teacher told my kids class they all passed but other than that nothing.

When did your kid take the test? It took a few days for the scores to get posted in ParentVue. They might not be up yet. Or maybe your school is one that likes to sit on the scores for a long time - do they do that with other tests like the IReady?

Yes it's months before they post iready scores.

NP - We’ve never gotten SOL scores this quickly before. My kids are in elementary and middle school and both schools posted scores exactly 1 week after the test.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Parent of a 3rd grader. Scores are not in parentvue, is that where everyone is seeing results? Teacher told my kids class they all passed but other than that nothing.

When did your kid take the test? It took a few days for the scores to get posted in ParentVue. They might not be up yet. Or maybe your school is one that likes to sit on the scores for a long time - do they do that with other tests like the IReady?

Yes it's months before they post iready scores.

NP - We’ve never gotten SOL scores this quickly before. My kids are in elementary and middle school and both schools posted scores exactly 1 week after the test.

*reading SOL. waiting on math, but they both just took them this week