INFORMATIONAL

  Attached is the State Testing Program schedule for the 1998-99 
  school year.  Please inform all personnel of these
  testing dates so that other activities can be scheduled
  without conflicts.


             LITERACY TESTING PROGRAM INFORMATION

  Summer 1998 Literacy Passport Test Administration

  Information about the summer 1998 administration was
  conveyed in Superintendent's Memo. No. 25 and Testing Memo.
  No. 253, dated February 20, 1998.

  Fall 1998 Literacy Passport Test Administration

  The reading and mathematics tests for the LPT must be
  administered during the period October 1 through October 13,
  1998, to (1) eighth grade and unclassified students who have
  not previously passed one or more tests, (2) students in the
  eighth through twelfth grades who transferred into Virginia
  public schools after the February 1998 administration, and
  (3) adult education students who are pursuing standard or
  advanced studies diplomas.  School divisions may establish
  reading, mathematics, and makeup dates to meet their needs
  within the stated  window."  However, the writing test must
  be administered initially one day statewide, October 14,
  1998.  Divisions are expected to schedule a full day of
  school on October 14, 1998, to accommodate this testing. 
  All students will respond to only one writing prompt on the 
  fall 1998 LPT.  This prompt will be the same statewide. 
  Students who are absent on the day of the statewide writing
  test will take a different prompt as a make-up.  Adult
  education program personnel wishing to schedule their LPT
  administration on a single Saturday should plan for that to
  be Saturday, October 17, 1998.  As in previous
  administrations involving adult students, a fee will be
  charged for the test.

  Spring 1999 Literacy Passport Test Administration

  The reading and mathematics tests for the LPT must be
  administered during the period February 1 through February
  9, 1999, to (1) eighth grade and unclassified students who
  have not previously passed one or more tests, (2) students
  in the eighth through twelfth grades who transferred into
  Virginia public schools after the fall 1998 administration,
  and (3) adult education students pursuing a standard or
  advanced studies diploma.  School divisions may establish
  reading, mathematics, and makeup dates to meet their needs
  within the stated  window."  However, the writing test must
  be administered initially one day statewide, February 10,
  1999.  Divisions are expected to schedule a full day of
  school on February 10, 1999, to accommodate this testing.

  All students enrolled in Virginia public schools who
  anticipate having sufficient credits to graduate by August
  31, 1999, who are required to pass the LPT and have not yet
  passed the writing test, will respond to both the regular
  and the make-up prompt.  All adult education students,
  regardless of whether they are slated to graduate in the
  class of 1999, also will respond to both prompts in the
  spring 1999 administration.  All other students will respond
  to only one writing prompt.  Adult education program
  personnel wishing to schedule their LPT administration on a
  single Saturday should plan for that to be Saturday,
  February 13, 1999.  As in previous administrations involving
  adult students, there will be a fee associated with their
  testing.

  Spring 1999 Literacy Passport Test Graduating Senior
  Administration

  The Department of Education will follow the same procedures
  used in the spring of 1998 to accommodate students entering
  Virginia public schools as seniors after the spring 1999
  administration.  The Department will supply divisions with
  sufficient materials to test these students on an as-needed
  basis.  Request forms for these materials will be sent to
  school divisions in the spring of 1999 after the spring LPT
  administration has been completed.

  Summer 1999 Literacy Passport Test Administration

  Dates for the summer LPT administration are July 19-23,
  1999.  The writing test is to be administered one day
  statewide, July 21, 1999.  Divisions may administer the
  reading and/or the mathematics tests before or after the
  writing test.  Students who will be classified as grade 9 or
  above at the beginning of the 1999-00 school year, are
  eligible to participate in the summer 1999 administration. 
  There is no state requirement that these students
  participate in the summer administration; rather, the summer
  administration is intended to provide an additional
  opportunity to take the LPT for those students who choose to
  participate.  With the exception of adult education
  students, there will be no charge to students choosing to
  take the LPT during the summer administration.  Adult
  education program personnel wishing to schedule this LPT
  administration on a Saturday should plan for that to be
  Saturday, July 24, 1999.

  Students in grades 9-11 will respond to one writing prompt. 
  These students will respond to a different prompt as a make-up
  if they are absent on the date of the statewide writing
  test.  All students who (1) have, or anticipate having,
  sufficient credits to graduate by August 31, 1999, (2) are
  required to pass the LPT, and (3) have not yet passed the
  writing test, will respond to both the regular and the make-up
  prompt.  All adult education students, regardless of
  whether they are slated to graduate in the class of 1999,
  will also respond to both prompts in the summer 1999
  administration.

  Preliminary LPT Testing--Writing and Reading

  The scoring of the fourth-grade writing assessment can be
  performed by locally trained teachers or may be contracted
  at local expense.  Divisions planning to score student
  papers locally may schedule the writing assessment at their
  convenience.  Divisions contracting for scoring must follow
  the schedule set by the contractor.  School divisions
  wishing to utilize the fourth-grade Degrees of Reading
  Power  (DRP) as a preliminary literacy test in reading at
  grade 4 must arrange for scoring and be prepared to pay for
  the scoring from local funds.  The Department will continue
  to supply divisions with the fourth-grade DRP booklets.

  School Leavers and the LPT

  Students in the classes of 1996-99 who have completed all
  requirements for a high school diploma except for passing
  the LPT (school leavers) may take the test(s) they have not
  passed in the summer 1998, fall 1998, spring 1999, or summer
  1999 LPT administrations.


         VIRGINIA STATE ASSESSMENT (VSAP) INFORMATION

  The Stanford Achievement Test, Ninth Edition, Form TA,
  Abbreviated (Stanford 9, TA), will be administered to
  students in grades 4, 6, and 9 and should be scheduled
  during the period September 14 through October 16, 1998.


              STANDARDS OF LEARNING ASSESSMENTS

  Fall Semester 1998 SOL Administration

  Beginning with the 1998-99 school year, the grade 8 and
  end-of-course tests will be administered near the end of the
  fall semester to students who will complete the associated
  courses or grade-level content at the end of the fall
  semester.  School divisions that have no students who will
  complete grade 8 courses or high school courses with SOL
  tests at the end of the fall semester will not participate
  in the 1998 fall semester SOL administration.
  SOL English: Writing Test

  Students who in the fall semester will complete grade 8
  English or high school English courses which have covered
  the English Standards of Learning for grades 9-11 will be
  administered the multiple-choice component of the English:
  Writing Tests on either October 19 or 20.  The direct
  writing component of the English:  Writing Tests will be
  administered statewide to these students on October 21. 
  Students who are absent on the date of the statewide writing
  test will respond to a different prompt during the make-up
  period.  Answer documents for the English: Writing Test must
  be shipped for scoring by October 30, 1998. 

  All Other SOL Tests

  Testing schedules for other SOL tests will be based on the
  date the school division ends the fall semester.  Testing
  schedules will be communicated directly to school divisions
  at a later date.

  Spring Semester 1999 SOL Administration

  Students in grades 3, 5, and 8 and those enrolled in high
  school courses for which there is an end-of-course SOL test
  will participate in the spring semester SOL administration.

  SOL English: Writing Test

  Students in grades 5 and 8 and those students enrolled in
  high school English courses which have covered the English
  SOLs for grades 9-11 will take the English: Writing Test in
  the spring semester administration.  School divisions may
  administer the multiple-choice component of the English:
  Writing Tests on either March 8 or 9.  The direct writing
  component of the test must be administered statewide on
  Wednesday, March 10.  Students who are absent on the date of
  the statewide writing test will respond to a different
  prompt during the make-up period.  Answer documents for the
  English: Writing Test must be shipped for scoring by     
  March 22, 1999.

  All Other SOL Tests

  Testing schedules for other SOL tests will be based on the
  date the school division closes school.  Testing schedules
  will be communicated directly to school divisions at a later
  date.


             MINIMUM COMPETENCY TEST INFORMATION

  The Department of Education will no longer offer the
  opportunity to take the Minimum Competency Test to members
  of the classes of 1981 through 1988 who completed all
  requirements for a high school diploma except for passing
  these tests.  According to Regulatory Superintendent's Memo.
  No. 20, July 28, 1982,  School leavers may take the current
  tests only as long as the present program is in effect and
  the tests are being administered to regularly enrolled
  students. If or when the competency program is modified,
  school leavers will be expected to meet the standards of the
  new program."  This means that students in the classes of
  1981-88 who left school without receiving a high school
  diploma will need to pass the Literacy Passport Tests,
  beginning with the 1998-99 school year.

                      SUMMARY/QUESTIONS

  For your reference and convenience, a single page summary of
  the testing calendar is included as an attachment to this
  memo.  Questions concerning these testing programs should be
  directed to the staff of the Division of Assessment and
  Reporting at (804) 225-2102.

  PDS/jc

  Attachment:     A hard copy of this memo and its attachment
                  will be sent to the superintendent's office