File: IL
VIRGINIA ASSESSMENT PROGRAM/TESTING OF STUDENTS
1.
A program of standardized testing prescribed by the Virginia Department of Education is
administered annually. Standardized tests will be administered according to state and
local directives. However, in administering tests or other assessment instruments, school
board employees shall not require any public elementary school students being tested to
disclose their race or ethnicity on such tests. A school division, however, may obtain
such information from a student’s permanent record and place the information on the test
or assessment.
2.
Each student should learn the relevant grade level/course subject matter before promotion
to the next grade. The division superintendent shall certify to the Department of
Education that the division’s promotion/retention policy does not exclude students from
membership in a grade, or participation in a course, in which SOL tests are to be
administered. Each school shall have a process, as appropriate, to identify and
recommend strategies to address the learning, behavior, communication, or development
of individual children who are having difficulty in the educational setting.
3.
In kindergarten through eighth grade, where the administration of Virginia Assessment
Program tests are required by the Board of Education, each student shall be expected to
take the tests; students who are accelerated should take the tests for the grade level of the
content received in instruction. Schools shall use the Virginia Assessment Program test
results in kindergarten through eighth grade as part of a set of multiple criteria for
determining the promotion or retention of students. Students promoted to high school
from eighth grade should have attained basic mastery of the Standards of Learning in
English, history and social science, mathematics, and science and should be prepared for
high school work. Students shall not be required to retake the Virginia Assessment
Program tests unless they are retained and have not previously passed the related tests.
4.
Students in kindergarten through grade 8 should not be required to attend summer school
or weekend remediation classes solely based on failing a SOL test in science or
history/social science. Student may be required to participate in such programs in
mathematics and English.
5.
Each student in middle and secondary school shall take all applicable end-of-course SOL
tests following course instruction. Students who successfully complete the course
requirements and achieve a passing score on an end-of-course SOL test shall be awarded
a verified unit of credit in that course. Students may earn verified units of credit in any
courses for which end-of-course SOL tests are available. Middle and secondary schools
may consider the student’s end-of-course SOL test score in determining the student’s
final course grade. However, no student who has failed an end-of-course SOL test but
passed the related course shall be prevented from taking any other course in a content
area and from taking the applicable end-of-course SOL test. Students who pass high
school courses and fail the course SOL test may retake the end-of-course SOL test any
number of times until a passing score is attained.
7/07 RCPS
ROCKINGHAM COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD
File: IL
(Page 2)
6.
Eligible students may qualify for an expedited retake of an end-of-course SOL
assessment to earn a verified credit where the student meets the criteria established by the
Virginia Board of Education. Students pursuing the Modified Standard Diploma shall
have opportunities for an expedited retest of the 8th grade (or higher level) tests in the
same manner as prescribed for students earning verified credit.
Under the criteria established by the state Board, the student must:
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Need the test for verified credit; and
Have passed the course associated with the test, and
One of the following:
Failed the test by a narrow margin, or
Failed the test by any margin and have extenuating circumstances that would warrant
retesting, or
Did not sit for the regularly scheduled test for legitimate reasons.
For purposes of these criteria, “narrow margin” means a scaled score of 375-399. The
Division Superintendent will be responsible for making the determination of what
constitutes “extenuating circumstances” and “legitimate reasons” for purposes of
establishing eligibility for an expedited retest of an end-of-course SOL assessment.
7.
Participation in the Virginia Assessment Program by students with disabilities shall be
prescribed by provisions of their Individualized Education Program (IEP) or 504 Plan.
All students with disabilities shall be assessed with appropriate accommodations and
alternate assessments where necessary.
8.
All students identified as limited English proficient (LEP) shall participate in the Virginia
Assessment Program. A school based committee shall convene and make determinations
regarding the participation level of LEP students in the Virginia Assessment Program. In
kindergarten through eighth grade, limited English proficient students may be granted a
one-time exemption from SOL testing in the areas of writing, science, and history and
social science.
9.
Any student taking courses for credit shall be required to take the relevant Virginia
Assessment Program tests. Students who are auditing courses and who will not receive a
standard unit of credit for such courses shall not be required to take the Standards of
Learning tests for those courses.
10.
Upon recommendation of the Superintendent and demonstration of mastery of course
content and objectives, qualified students may receive a standard unit of credit and be
permitted to sit for the relevant SOL test to earn a verified credit without having to meet
the 140-clock-hour requirement. The Superintendent by regulation shall determine the
manner in which a student may demonstrate master of course content and objectives, and
documentation of such mastery will be maintained in the student’s permanent record.
7/07 RCPS
ROCKINGHAM COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD
File: IL
(Page 3)
11.
Students may also earn verified credits by taking alternative tests to the SOL assessment.
Such tests may only be approved by the Virginia Board of Education, and the student
may earn verified credits only by achieving that score established by the Board of
Education.
12.
In addition to, and to support, the Virginia Assessment Program, school personnel may
test students to meet specific needs within a school or school division. This local testing
should be approved by the principal at the school level and by the Superintendent for
division-wide testing.
Adopted:
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Legal Ref.:
Code of Virginia, 1950, as amended, sections 22.1-4.2, 22.1-78, 22.1-253.13:1,
22.1-253.13:4, 22.1-254 (D), 22.1-254.2
Regulations Establishing Standards for Accrediting Public Schools in Virginia,
8 VAC 20-131-30, and 8 VAC 20-131-280
Cross Ref:
7/07 RCPS
JZQ
Transfer of Students from Nonpublic Schools
ROCKINGHAM COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD