COMMONWEALTH of VIRGINIA
Department of Education

March 18, 2011

TO: Division Superintendents

FROM: Patricia I. Wright, Superintendent of Public Instruction

SUBJECT: Nominations for Standard Setting Committees for the Virginia Alternate Assessment Program (VAAP) History/Social Science Assessments Based on the Revised 2008 Standards of Learning (SOL) and Writing Assessments Based on the 2002 English SOL

The Division of Student Assessment and School Improvement is accepting nominations for standard setting committees for the VAAP History/Social Science and Writing assessments. Standard setting is necessary because of the implementation of the Aligned Standards of Learning (ASOL) based on the revised 2008 History/Social Science SOL and the implementation of VAAP Writing assessments based on the 2002 English SOL. The standard setting meetings for history/social science and writing will be held in Virginia Beach, Virginia, on June 7-9, 2011, and will include the following committees:

• Elementary (Grades 3-5)
• Middle (Grades 6-8)
• High School (Grades 9-12)

The standard setting committees are responsible for recommending scores that reflect pass/proficient or pass/advanced. These recommendations will be submitted to the Board of Education, which will then decide the cut scores for pass/proficient and pass/advanced status. Approximately twelve teachers will be selected to serve on each committee. School divisions are encouraged to nominate a representative for each committee.
Committee members will be chosen based on the following criteria:

• instructional training and experience in the history/social science and/or writing content area;
• in-depth knowledge of the History/Social Science and/or Writing Aligned Standards of Learning; 
• instructional experience with students with significant disabilities; and
• balanced regional representation.

Committee members will be provided the following:

• reimbursement for meals and travel expenses in accordance with state travel regulations and guidelines;
• lodging; and
• attendance certificate for recertification points (pending local approval).

All nominees who wish to serve on the standard setting committees must complete the Web-based application using the Assessment Committee Application Processing System (ACAPS). The Web-based application process requires a professional reference and division-level approval. Procedures for submitting the Web-based application are available at https://p1pe.doe.virginia.gov/acaps/. Completed applications should be submitted to the Virginia Department of Education using ACAPS by April 15, 2011.

If you have questions, please contact the student assessment staff by e-mail at Student_Assessment@doe.virginia.gov or by phone at (804) 225-2102.

PIW/SLR/cd