Stop blaming FCPS and VDOE for SOL testing this year. You know they would cancel all of the tests if the decision was up to them. The Virginia Board of Education/VDOE did what they could to offer school divisions the option to use local alternative assessments in lieu of SOL tests for Virginia Studies, Civics and Economics, and Grade 8 Writing.

SOL tests are required by the Every Student Succeeds Act. Unless the new U.S. Secretary of Education is allowed to issue another waiver, SOL tests will be administered in FCPS school buildings.

give a waiver “to any state that is unable to assess its students due to the ongoing national emergency.

Wonder if this is an update worth talking about in the next two weeks like he promised at the meeting?

Anonymous wrote:Honestly, this school year? If they finally opened schools and then had the kids doing test prep I would scream
all the way up to Braband’s office about it.

It won't be the first angry email he's received this year. He'll just file it away.

Anonymous wrote:Such a bad idea. My guess is that the ones who opt out will generally be at or above grade level.

Hah.

Maybe.

Anonymous wrote:Honestly, this school year? If they finally opened schools and then had the kids doing test prep I would scream
all the way up to Braband’s office about it.

Would you scream if they were still doing DL in the classroom? Cause most kids will.

Such a bad idea. My guess is that the ones who opt out will generally be at or above grade level.

Honestly, this school year? If they finally opened schools and then had the kids doing test prep I would scream
all the way up to Braband’s office about it.

Anonymous wrote:Why not have them take it from home? Who in their right mind would cheat? Lower scores show the deficits. For kids with IEPs it helps with services. You don't get anything special for a pass advance.

Kids are cheating on the DRA test. They (or their parents) are cheating on everything, whether it makes sense or not.

Why not have them take it from home? Who in their right mind would cheat? Lower scores show the deficits. For kids with IEPs it helps with services. You don't get anything special for a pass advance.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ll likely opt my third grader out. To me, the only value of an SOL is learning how to take a standardized test. The results are only a reflection on the school and their ability to teach content.

Even in the best of times, I would consider opting out.

Why would you do that?

Send your kid to school.

PP here, not sure where you got the idea that I don’t send my child to school...

Like I said, the only real value I see at this point is to learn how to take a standardized test. I understand there is value in that but I don’t need DC doing test prep like they are going to be taking the SATs or something. There is way too much focus put on SOLs in APS. I’ve heard too many stories of stressed out kids crying in the hall and that is absolutely unnecessary. I have no doubt my kid will pass the test so it really only helps the school and like others, if it isn’t safe to send kids to school, how is it safe for them to be there to test?

Feel free to opt out, clearly every parent has that choice.
But that doesn't mean that they still won't have a month of review in school. They'll still sit through the same lessons as everybody else preparing and reviewing for the SOLs.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ll likely opt my third grader out. To me, the only value of an SOL is learning how to take a standardized test. The results are only a reflection on the school and their ability to teach content.

Even in the best of times, I would consider opting out.

Why would you do that?

Send your kid to school.

PP here, not sure where you got the idea that I don’t send my child to school...

Like I said, the only real value I see at this point is to learn how to take a standardized test. I understand there is value in that but I don’t need DC doing test prep like they are going to be taking the SATs or something. There is way too much focus put on SOLs in APS. I’ve heard too many stories of stressed out kids crying in the hall and that is absolutely unnecessary. I have no doubt my kid will pass the test so it really only helps the school and like others, if it isn’t safe to send kids to school, how is it safe for them to be there to test?