COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

P.O. BOX 2120

RICHMOND, VIRGINIA 23218-2120

SUPTS. MEMO NO. 154

September 26, 2003

INFORMATIONAL

TO:	Division Superintendents
FROM:	Jo Lynne DeMary Superintendent of Public Instruction
SUBJECT:	Reading and Mathematics Field Tests

The No Child Left Behind (NCLB) legislation requires that students in grades 3-8 be assessed annually in reading and mathematics. To meet this requirement, new Standards of Learning tests are being developed for grades 4, 6, and 7. Implementation of these new tests will begin in the 2005-2006 school year.

Preparation for these new tests includes the development of test item banks for reading and mathematics in grades 4, 6, and 7. To develop these item banks, the Department of Education will conduct field tests of new test items in the spring of 2003-04 and again in the spring of 2004-05.

All divisions are invited to participate in these field tests. Please note the following:

• Divisions may volunteer to participate for one year only either in the spring of 2003-04 or in the spring of 2004-05, or they may elect to participate in the spring of both years.
• Field testing will be conducted May 3-28, 2004. Dates for 2005 will be announced next year.
• The mathematics field tests will be based on the 2001 Mathematics Standards of Learning.
• The reading field tests will be based on the 2002 English/Reading Standards of Learning.
• Divisions electing to participate may be allocated a maximum number of students who can be tested. To meet the requirements of our sampling plan, we may not be able to accommodate all students in large divisions.
• Examiner manuals, School Test Coordinator manuals, and Division Director of Testing manuals will be provided.
• Student scores will not be provided, and no school reports will be produced.
• Blueprints for the new tests will be produced after one round of field testing and are tentatively scheduled for release in the winter of 2004.

New reading and mathematics items for grades 5 and 8 will be field tested in 2003-2004 and 2004-2005. The current grade 5 and grade 8 reading and mathematics tests will be converted to grade-level tests (grade 5 only and grade 8 only) in 2005-2006. The current third grade test will remain a cumulative (K-3) test. The English writing test is not affected by the NCLB legislation; therefore, no field testing in writing will be conducted.

Divisions interested in participating will be asked to respond in a Superintendents Memo to be issued in January of 2004. The January memo will include provisions for divisions to indicate their interest in participating, the grade levels that will be involved, the schools where field tests will be administered, and other such details. Should you have any questions regarding these field tests, please contact the Division of Assessment and Reporting at (804) 225-2102 or darfax@mail.vak12ed.edu.

JLD/SLR/ST/jc