COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA
DEPARTMENT
OF EDUCATION
P.O.
BOX 2120
RICHMOND,
VIRGINIA 23218-2120
SUPTS. MEMO NO. 36
ADMINISTRATIVE
|
TO: |
Division Superintendents |
|
FROM: |
Jo Lynne DeMary Superintendent of Public Instruction |
|
SUBJECT: |
State Testing Schedule for 2003-2004 |
The State Testing Program schedule for the 2003-2004 school year is available on the Department of Educations website at http://www.pen.k12.va.us/VDOE/Assessment/home.shtml. Please inform all personnel of these testing dates so that other activities can be scheduled without conflicts. Following is information to assist you in preparing for the coming school year.
The grade 8 and end-of-course tests
will be administered to students who will complete the associated grade 8
classes or high school courses at the end of the fall semester. The following groups of students may also
take the SOL tests:
1. students in the ninth-grade class of 2000-2001 and below who want to retake an end-of-course SOL test that they failed. These students do not have to be enrolled in a course to take a test. Their participation is optional.
2.
special
education students in grades 9-12 for the 2003-2004 school year who are
pursuing a modified standard diploma may take the grade 8 Mathematics or
English: Reading/Literature and Research test to meet the literacy and numeracy
requirements for this diploma.
3.
students who
have participated in remediation recovery programs may retake the SOL tests as
follows:
grade 9 students may retake the grade 8
English: Reading/Literature and Research
test and/or mathematics test
students who have failed an end-of-course
mathematics test may retake the failed test.
The SOL English: Writing tests for the
fall 2003 administration are scheduled as follows. The multiple-choice component of the English: Writing tests will
be administered on either Tuesday,
October 14 or Wednesday, October 15, 2003.
The direct writing component of the English: Writing tests will be
administered statewide on Thursday,
October 16, 2003. 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 tests must be shipped
for scoring by October 30, 2003.
Testing schedules for other SOL tests
will be determined based on the date the fall semester ends.
Spring
Semester 2004 SOL Administration
The spring SOL administrations are
designed to accommodate several groups of students:
1.
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.
2.
students in
the ninth-grade class of 2000-2001 and below who want to retake an
end-of-course SOL test that they previously failed. These students do not have to be enrolled in a course to take a
test. Their participation is optional.
3.
special
education students in grades 9-12 for the 2003-2004 school year who are
pursuing a modified standard diploma may take the grade 8 Mathematics or English:
Reading/Literature and Research test to meet the literacy and numeracy
requirements for this diploma.
4.
students who
have participated in remediation recovery programs may retake the SOL tests as
follows:
grade 4 students may retake the grade 3
English test (reading and writing subtests) and/or mathematics test
grade 6 students may retake the grade 5
English: Reading/Literature and Research
test and/or mathematics test
grade 9 students may retake the grade 8 English: Reading/Literature and Research
test and/or mathematics test
students who have failed an
end-of-course mathematics test may retake the failed test.
The SOL English: Writing tests for the
spring 2004 administration are scheduled as follows. The multiple-choice
component of the English: Writing tests will be administered 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
tests must be shipped for scoring by March
24, 2004.
All Other SOL Tests
Testing schedules for other SOL tests
will be determined by the date schools are closed.
Summer
2004 SOL Administration
Summer SOL administrations are designed
to accommodate several groups of students:
1.
students
enrolled in courses for which there are SOL tests; all enrolled students must
be tested unless they have previously passed the SOL test.
2.
students in
the ninth-grade class of 2000-2001 or below who desire to retake an
end-of-course SOL test previously failed and need an additional opportunity to
retake the test to earn verified credit; these students do not have to be
enrolled in a summer school course to take a test; participation by these
students is optional.
3.
students who
have failed an end-of-course mathematics test (Algebra I, Geometry, or Algebra
II) and who are enrolled in a remediation recovery program.
SOL English: Writing Tests
The SOL writing test is to be
administered statewide July 19-21, 2004. The multiple-choice component of the
English: Writing test should be administered either on Monday, July 19, or Tuesday,
July 20, 2004. The direct writing
component of the English: Writing test will be administered statewide on Wednesday, July 21, 2004. Answer documents for the English: Writing
tests must be shipped for scoring by July 30, 2004.
All Other SOL Tests
Testing schedules for other SOL tests
will be determined by local school divisions based on the date the school
division ends the summer school.
QUESTIONS
Questions concerning the state testing
program schedule should be directed to the Division of Assessment and Reporting
at (804) 225-2102.
JLD/SLR/jc
http://www.pen.k12.va.us/VDOE/Assessment/home.shtml