Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why would we want to boycott the SOL?

Main reason - the state shouldn't be testing students to see what they know and what they don't know. second we need FCPS to have test score to keep dropping because it will mean we will have a chance of winning school board seats, and we will have a say on the Superintendent .

The people I knew who were part of OpenFCPS back in the day absolutely valued the state testing students to see what they know and don't know in order to show the gaps in what FCPS was or wasn't teaching. Are you a troll?

True. The people I know who can’t stand the board point to evidence of decreased learning as one of their reasons.

You need some sort of measurement for that.

Yes and since they can't demonstrate that via the actual standardized tests, they are trying to manufacture the appearance of decline by getting parents to opt out.

I hate the way schools prep for SOLs and would consider opting out for student anxiety reasons, but trying to gain board seats by encouraging families to opt out of the test is silly.

I don't care for the board and my kids are only in elementary so the SOLs are a pretty non-issue in our house, but I'm 100% with you on the bolded. Not only would it hurt some kids (like those who might be eligible for advanced math based on a pass advanced), but it won't gain a single board seat in a million years.

Anonymous wrote:how popular is the boycotting SOL Movement at your school? Just not sure how we can start this movement when parents think the kids should take the SOL. They need to understand that if looks bad on FCPS if they don't take the test, and only they don't need them.

OP, you are an idiot. You cannot compose a coherent sentence.

Anonymous wrote:OP, once you put together your movement, do post a site here. I hate SOLs with a passion. I hate that teachers are forced to spend the entire 4th quarter teaching FOR the SOLs. My DS is in HS. There hasn't been any new material in his Math or Science classes since the beginning of April.

What grade is your little darling in? Because they don’t take them after 9th grade…if they pass. No SOLs= no accountability. It’s one test, and they review content and reteach any areas necessary for “the entire 4th quarter” which has been 4 weeks at this point. The math SOL is on Wednesday. Seems awfully useful preparation for little things like ACTs, SATs, AP test, or college exams. No one is complaining that my DS’s AP teacher finished all the content by the end of the 3rd quarter and is doing AP test prep until the test in a few weeks. School is building blocks. They are learning to take an end year test. That’s a valuable skill. If you disagree you can opt out- until high school- at which point you might wish your child knew how to take an end of year test.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why would we want to boycott the SOL?

Main reason - the state shouldn't be testing students to see what they know and what they don't know. second we need FCPS to have test score to keep dropping because it will mean we will have a chance of winning school board seats, and we will have a say on the Superintendent .

The people I knew who were part of OpenFCPS back in the day absolutely valued the state testing students to see what they know and don't know in order to show the gaps in what FCPS was or wasn't teaching. Are you a troll?

True. The people I know who can’t stand the board point to evidence of decreased learning as one of their reasons.

You need some sort of measurement for that.

Yes and since they can't demonstrate that via the actual standardized tests, they are trying to manufacture the appearance of decline by getting parents to opt out.

I hate the way schools prep for SOLs and would consider opting out for student anxiety reasons, but trying to gain board seats by encouraging families to opt out of the test is silly.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why would we want to boycott the SOL?

Main reason - the state shouldn't be testing students to see what they know and what they don't know. second we need FCPS to have test score to keep dropping because it will mean we will have a chance of winning school board seats, and we will have a say on the Superintendent .

The people I knew who were part of OpenFCPS back in the day absolutely valued the state testing students to see what they know and don't know in order to show the gaps in what FCPS was or wasn't teaching. Are you a troll?

True. The people I know who can’t stand the board point to evidence of decreased learning as one of their reasons.

You need some sort of measurement for that.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:SOLs are so ridiculously easy. They are for the lowest common denominator. If a kid can’t pass them they need help.

Posters regurgitate this without knowing what they are talking about. The SOLs aren't easy. Every few years, VDOE adjusts the difficulty up or down and we're in an up period.

Yea they are. That’s why most kids can pass them.

Well, yes. They are supposed to measure that kids have learned what they are supposed to learn in the school year. And most kids do. That's good. It doesn't necessarily mean the test is easy - it means the test is accurate.

It’s literally all multiple choice which is basically a recognition test. Recognitions tests are significant easier than recall tests, where you’d have to write in your own answer or even write an essay. There is no recall involved. It is absolutely meant to be easy. Accurate is totally different. Many people actually feel it’s not accurate. Too many of one question or too many different topics.

OP is not one of those many people. She neither knows nor cares.

The SOLs are multiple choice (there is a new/old essay SOL this year) and some/many questions are confusingly worded - yet students are still able to do well on them. We've got good kids here in Fairfax.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:SOLs are so ridiculously easy. They are for the lowest common denominator. If a kid can’t pass them they need help.

Posters regurgitate this without knowing what they are talking about. The SOLs aren't easy. Every few years, VDOE adjusts the difficulty up or down and we're in an up period.

Yea they are. That’s why most kids can pass them.

Well, yes. They are supposed to measure that kids have learned what they are supposed to learn in the school year. And most kids do. That's good. It doesn't necessarily mean the test is easy - it means the test is accurate.

It’s literally all multiple choice which is basically a recognition test. Recognitions tests are significant easier than recall tests, where you’d have to write in your own answer or even write an essay. There is no recall involved. It is absolutely meant to be easy. Accurate is totally different. Many people actually feel it’s not accurate. Too many of one question or too many different topics.

OP, once you put together your movement, do post a site here. I hate SOLs with a passion. I hate that teachers are forced to spend the entire 4th quarter teaching FOR the SOLs. My DS is in HS. There hasn't been any new material in his Math or Science classes since the beginning of April.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why would we want to boycott the SOL?

Main reason - the state shouldn't be testing students to see what they know and what they don't know. second we need FCPS to have test score to keep dropping because it will mean we will have a chance of winning school board seats, and we will have a say on the Superintendent .

The people I knew who were part of OpenFCPS back in the day absolutely valued the state testing students to see what they know and don't know in order to show the gaps in what FCPS was or wasn't teaching. Are you a troll?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:SOLs are so ridiculously easy. They are for the lowest common denominator. If a kid can’t pass them they need help.

Posters regurgitate this without knowing what they are talking about. The SOLs aren't easy. Every few years, VDOE adjusts the difficulty up or down and we're in an up period.

Yea they are. That’s why most kids can pass them.

Well, yes. They are supposed to measure that kids have learned what they are supposed to learn in the school year. And most kids do. That's good. It doesn't necessarily mean the test is easy - it means the test is accurate.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why would we want to boycott the SOL?

Main reason - the state shouldn't be testing students to see what they know and what they don't know. second we need FCPS to have test score to keep dropping because it will mean we will have a chance of winning school board seats, and we will have a say on the Superintendent .

There are good reasons that some parents opt out their elementary school students from some or all SOLs. Several years ago VA significantly reduced the number of SOLs, which has mitigated the need to opt out. But for some 3-5/6th graders SOLs are anxiety-producing and not worth the angst for an individual student.

The only downsides to opting out in elementary school are: (1) your child may not be eligible for accelerated math, (2) your child may not be eligible for the President's Award at 6th grade promotion. But if neither of those are a concern, feel free to opt your child out if you think that is best for them.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:SOLs are so ridiculously easy. They are for the lowest common denominator. If a kid can’t pass them they need help.

Posters regurgitate this without knowing what they are talking about. The SOLs aren't easy. Every few years, VDOE adjusts the difficulty up or down and we're in an up period.

Yea they are. That’s why most kids can pass them.

Anonymous wrote:Why would we want to boycott the SOL?

Main reason - the state shouldn't be testing students to see what they know and what they don't know. second we need FCPS to have test score to keep dropping because it will mean we will have a chance of winning school board seats, and we will have a say on the Superintendent .

Why would we want to boycott the SOL?

Anonymous wrote:SOLs are so ridiculously easy. They are for the lowest common denominator. If a kid can’t pass them they need help.

Please stop referring to children as "the lowest common denominator", especially in the context of academic achievement.