Anonymous wrote:About this topic. My daughter is in 8th grade, she failed her reading SOL. She doesn't want to take it again but I am concerned that this may affect the way teachers look at her in high school. Should she retake it?

In 8th grade, yes, if you believe she could pass and does not need remediation. I’m a high school teacher and she may be placed in a class where students are reading below grade level and receive remediation. That’s great if she needs the help. It’s not good if she was having a bad day and the SOL score does not affect her ability.

To the 4th grade parent, I would not have your child retest. I signed the same paper for my 4th grade child and will not have her retest if she does not pass anything. I’m sorry she found out this way. In high school teachers will tell students their scores but they are too young in elementary school for this to happen. Parents need to be notified first.

My son failed his first reading SOL in 3rd grade but was within the window so he retook it and passed. He had high DRA scores and read well above grade level but received Bs in Reading. When he got to middle school, they placed him in a lower level reading class. His teacher noticed he wasn't being challenged and moved him up to a more advanced class. I swear that failed SOL is why he was in the low reading class.

About this topic. My daughter is in 8th grade, she failed her reading SOL. She doesn't want to take it again but I am concerned that this may affect the way teachers look at her in high school. Should she retake it?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DD failed the Reading SOL in 6th grade. Before the year ended, I started receiving invitations to summer extended learning program from her middle school. When I called the middle school to ask why they told me to call her elementary school and that is usually is because the kids failed an SOL. I contacted the 6th grade teacher to find out why DD was invited to summer learning and that is when teacher let me know in advance of SOL scores coming home that DD failed an SOL. I was then able to privately explain to DD the situation. It was handled well, but there was a communication breakdown between elementary and middle schools.

Also, just FYI - Middle school automatically placed DD in a Reading elective in place of a chosen elective. They did not inform me as a parent, but instead took action purely based on her sol score. I elected not to have DD in the Reading elective, which the MS accommodated and she subsequently passed the Reading SOL in 7th without intervention. 6th grade teacher retired after that year so I suspect she was no longer invested in helping kids prepare for SOLs.

Many say that SOL scores don't affect the kids, but I disagree. I believe they become labled, watched and tracked in subsequent years. And, I know they need to pass SOLs for verified course credits in HS.

That's right, and it's too bad. My HS kid who has big exams for her classes also has the stress and bother of having to take SOLs on top of that. And the teachers have the hassle of administering them. Yeah, the kids will likely all pass these SOLs, but it aggravates many parents that HS kids who have final exams also have SOLs on their plate at about the same time of year. The SOLs are easier than the finals, but still suck up time when kids are already finishing final projects and papers and taking course exams.

The number of SOLs diminishes as they go through HS. This year my sophomore has 2 and my senior 0.

High Schoolers for many years have taken a basic achievement test. Are these any different?

I just received a phone call by the VP informing me DD needed 399 to pass 6th math and she made ~390 and requested permission to retake, but would not state impact either way, only stated they are communicating this option.

If a kid fails an elementary school SOL, the school is not adequately serving that kid and needs to do better.

This.
BUT the school will never admit this. Never. never. never
The lack for humility/tolerance for criticism by FCPS is astounding.
There is none.

The teacher should not have told your kid-- the school should have told you. I'd be pissed about that. But my DD was very stressed about reading SOL, and I talked to the school counselor about this. ES SOLs have no bearing on grades, promotion, tracking or anything else-- it's all about the school's grade and teacher report. I'd do my due diligence and make sure my DC was really at grade level with reading, w/no learning disabilities or test anxiety (maybe an outside evaluation??) and get her help if she needs it. And keep her reading this summer-- the library summer reading programs are great. Otherwise, forget it and move on. And realize that as they roll out new, more rigorous SOLs, the fail rates are rising.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DD failed the Reading SOL in 6th grade. Before the year ended, I started receiving invitations to summer extended learning program from her middle school. When I called the middle school to ask why they told me to call her elementary school and that is usually is because the kids failed an SOL. I contacted the 6th grade teacher to find out why DD was invited to summer learning and that is when teacher let me know in advance of SOL scores coming home that DD failed an SOL. I was then able to privately explain to DD the situation. It was handled well, but there was a communication breakdown between elementary and middle schools.

Also, just FYI - Middle school automatically placed DD in a Reading elective in place of a chosen elective. They did not inform me as a parent, but instead took action purely based on her sol score. I elected not to have DD in the Reading elective, which the MS accommodated and she subsequently passed the Reading SOL in 7th without intervention. 6th grade teacher retired after that year so I suspect she was no longer invested in helping kids prepare for SOLs.

Many say that SOL scores don't affect the kids, but I disagree. I believe they become labled, watched and tracked in subsequent years. And, I know they need to pass SOLs for verified course credits in HS.

That's right, and it's too bad. My HS kid who has big exams for her classes also has the stress and bother of having to take SOLs on top of that. And the teachers have the hassle of administering them. Yeah, the kids will likely all pass these SOLs, but it aggravates many parents that HS kids who have final exams also have SOLs on their plate at about the same time of year. The SOLs are easier than the finals, but still suck up time when kids are already finishing final projects and papers and taking course exams.

The number of SOLs diminishes as they go through HS. This year my sophomore has 2 and my senior 0.

Anonymous wrote:My DD failed the Reading SOL in 6th grade. Before the year ended, I started receiving invitations to summer extended learning program from her middle school. When I called the middle school to ask why they told me to call her elementary school and that is usually is because the kids failed an SOL. I contacted the 6th grade teacher to find out why DD was invited to summer learning and that is when teacher let me know in advance of SOL scores coming home that DD failed an SOL. I was then able to privately explain to DD the situation. It was handled well, but there was a communication breakdown between elementary and middle schools.

Also, just FYI - Middle school automatically placed DD in a Reading elective in place of a chosen elective. They did not inform me as a parent, but instead took action purely based on her sol score. I elected not to have DD in the Reading elective, which the MS accommodated and she subsequently passed the Reading SOL in 7th without intervention. 6th grade teacher retired after that year so I suspect she was no longer invested in helping kids prepare for SOLs.

Many say that SOL scores don't affect the kids, but I disagree. I believe they become labled, watched and tracked in subsequent years. And, I know they need to pass SOLs for verified course credits in HS.

This is a good thing.

I've noticed that some teachers will privately share the students score with thecstudent.

Anonymous wrote:My DD failed the Reading SOL in 6th grade. Before the year ended, I started receiving invitations to summer extended learning program from her middle school. When I called the middle school to ask why they told me to call her elementary school and that is usually is because the kids failed an SOL. I contacted the 6th grade teacher to find out why DD was invited to summer learning and that is when teacher let me know in advance of SOL scores coming home that DD failed an SOL. I was then able to privately explain to DD the situation. It was handled well, but there was a communication breakdown between elementary and middle schools.

Also, just FYI - Middle school automatically placed DD in a Reading elective in place of a chosen elective. They did not inform me as a parent, but instead took action purely based on her sol score. I elected not to have DD in the Reading elective, which the MS accommodated and she subsequently passed the Reading SOL in 7th without intervention. 6th grade teacher retired after that year so I suspect she was no longer invested in helping kids prepare for SOLs.

Many say that SOL scores don't affect the kids, but I disagree. I believe they become labled, watched and tracked in subsequent years. And, I know they need to pass SOLs for verified course credits in HS.

That's right, and it's too bad. My HS kid who has big exams for her classes also has the stress and bother of having to take SOLs on top of that. And the teachers have the hassle of administering them. Yeah, the kids will likely all pass these SOLs, but it aggravates many parents that HS kids who have final exams also have SOLs on their plate at about the same time of year. The SOLs are easier than the finals, but still suck up time when kids are already finishing final projects and papers and taking course exams.

My DD failed the Reading SOL in 6th grade. Before the year ended, I started receiving invitations to summer extended learning program from her middle school. When I called the middle school to ask why they told me to call her elementary school and that is usually is because the kids failed an SOL. I contacted the 6th grade teacher to find out why DD was invited to summer learning and that is when teacher let me know in advance of SOL scores coming home that DD failed an SOL. I was then able to privately explain to DD the situation. It was handled well, but there was a communication breakdown between elementary and middle schools.

Also, just FYI - Middle school automatically placed DD in a Reading elective in place of a chosen elective. They did not inform me as a parent, but instead took action purely based on her sol score. I elected not to have DD in the Reading elective, which the MS accommodated and she subsequently passed the Reading SOL in 7th without intervention. 6th grade teacher retired after that year so I suspect she was no longer invested in helping kids prepare for SOLs.

Many say that SOL scores don't affect the kids, but I disagree. I believe they become labled, watched and tracked in subsequent years. And, I know they need to pass SOLs for verified course credits in HS.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How do you know that she failed? Is she is in elementary school, then nothing happens.

She told me. I guess the teacher told her.

Wtf? That would have made me mad. What grade is your child in? I'd contact the teacher to find out if your child actually failed.

4th. I contacted the teacher and she said yes, dd failed.

So teacher is not supposed to tell the child how they did? I didn't know what the protocol was or if there was one. Now I'm pissed.

I honestly don't know, but it sure doesn't sound right to me for an elementary school teacher to tell a student that they failed the sol. I'd think they shouldn't discuss that. Especially if the kids aren't supposed to discuss it!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How do you know that she failed? Is she is in elementary school, then nothing happens.

She told me. I guess the teacher told her.

Wtf? That would have made me mad. What grade is your child in? I'd contact the teacher to find out if your child actually failed.

4th. I contacted the teacher and she said yes, dd failed.

So teacher is not supposed to tell the child how they did? I didn't know what the protocol was or if there was one. Now I'm pissed.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How do you know that she failed? Is she is in elementary school, then nothing happens.

She told me. I guess the teacher told her.

Wtf? That would have made me mad. What grade is your child in? I'd contact the teacher to find out if your child actually failed.