DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
P.O.
SUPTS. MEMO NO. 196
September 14, 2007
INFORMATIONAL
|
TO: |
Division
Superintendents |
|
FROM: |
Billy K. Cannaday, Jr. Superintendent
of Public Instruction |
|
SUBJECT: |
No Child
Left Behind Requirement for Limited English Proficient Students Participation
in the 2007-2008 Standards of Learning Science Tests |
Under
the requirements of the No Child Left
Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB), Section 1111(b)(3)(C)(v)(II), states must
administer science tests at least once in elementary school, once at the middle
school level, and once at the high school level in the 2007-2008 school
year. Recent non-regulatory guidance
issued by the United States Department of Education (USED), May 2007, clarified
that all students, including recently arrived Limited English Proficient (LEP)
students, are to take the science tests.
This requirement takes precedence over the one-time exemption in science
available to LEP students under the Regulations
Establishing Standards for Accrediting Public Schools in Virginia, 8 VAC 20131-30.G.
While
all LEP students are to take the science tests, the resulting test scores do
not become part of the Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) calculations and are not
subject to the same requirements as the reading and mathematics test
scores. Further, according to SOA
requirements, 8 VAC 20-131-280.D.1., the scores of LEP
students who have been enrolled in
If
you have questions about the implementation of this policy, please contact the
Division of Student Assessment and School Improvement at Student_Assessment@doe.virginia.gov
or by telephone at (804) 225-2102.
BKCJr/SLR/jc