SOL Test Administration & Development

On this page:
Administration
Testing Calendars
Testing Implementation Manuals
Examiner's Manuals
Data Management
Ancillary Test Materials
Practice Tools
Guidelines
Testing Irregularities (TIWAS)
Technical Reports
Assessment Development

Assessment Administration

The administration of Standards of Learning (SOL) assessments is a cooperative effort involving the VDOE and educators and administrators in the commonwealth’s 132 school divisions. Key division-level and school-level personnel include:

Division Director of Testing – The Division Director of Testing (DDOT) serves as the point of contact between the school division and VDOE. The DDOT has division-wide responsibility for implementation of SOL test procedures.
School Test Coordinator – The School Test Coordinator (STC) serves as the point of contact between the DDOT and the school. The STC is also responsible for ensuring that all procedures required for the SOL tests are implemented within the school and for maintaining the security of test materials.
Test Examiner – Test examiners are responsible for administering the SOL tests according to procedures and for maintaining the security of SOL test materials.

SOL Testing Calendars

2012 – 2013 (PDF)
2011 – 2012 (PDF)

SOL Test Implementation Manuals

Test implementation manuals describe procedures that the DDOT and STC should follow before, during and after SOL test administration.

Examiner's Manuals

Examiner’s manuals describe procedures that test examiners are to follow in the administration of the online and paper/pencil SOL tests.

Non-Writing Examiner's Manuals (Online and Paper/Pencil Tests)

2012-2013

Grade 3 (PDF)

Grades 4 & 5 (PDF)

Grades 6, 7 & 8 (PDF)

Content Specific History (PDF)

End-of-Course Reading (PDF)

End-of-Course History/Social Sciences (PDF)

End-of-Course Mathematics (PDF)

End-of-Course Science (PDF)

Writing Examiner’s Manuals

2012-2013

Spring & Summer 2013 Grades 5, 8, and End-of-Course Writing (PDF)

Fall 2012 Grade 8 and End-of-Course Writing (PDF)

SOL Data Management

Authorization to Proceed (ATP) (Word)
Authorization to Proceed (ATP) for VAAP, VGLA & VSEP (PDF)
Frequently Asked Questions (PDF)
Pre-ATP & Post-ATP Reports (PDF)
Post-Authorization to Proceed (ATP) Record Change Request form (XLS)

Ancillary Test Materials

Ancillary Test Materials

SOL Practice Tools

SOL Practice Items and Practice Item Guides
SOL Writing Practice Tool (based on 2010 English SOL)
SOL Reading Demonstration Items (based on 2002 English SOL; presented in TestNav 7)
Electronic Practice Assessment Tools (ePAT) (based on various SOL content; presented in TestNav 6.x)

VDOE Guidelines

State Approved Calculators (PDF)

Also see: Participation & Inclusion – includes guidelines for Read Aloud testing, limited English proficient students and students with disabilities.

Testing Irregularities (TIWAS)

The Testing Irregularity Web Application System (TIWAS) provides a method for submitting and resolving testing irregularities. Division directors of testing and school test coordinators submit information using the online system, TIWAS. Examiners should report testing irregularities immediately. Division directors of testing may resolve irregularities locally or submit irregularities to the VDOE with 24 hours of receipt of the irregularity. All irregularities involving a retest situation should be submitted to the VDOE.

Technical Reports

Assessment Development

SOL tests are designed to assess whether students meet specific minimum expectations for learning and achievement expressed in the Standards of Learning. Tests are developed through an extensive process of review and field testing to ensure that tests are fair and of appropriate difficulty for the grade or course.

SOL Review Committees

Virginia teachers, school administrators and content specialists participate in the development of SOL assessments by serving on committees that review test items and forms to ensure that they measure student knowledge accurately and fairly. More about SOL Review Committees.

SOL Test Blueprints

SOL test blueprints guide test developers as they write test questions and construct the assessments. They also provide information to educators, parents and students, including:

Specific standards covered by the test
Number of test items in each reporting category and on the total test
Standards assigned to each reporting category

Blueprints for SOL tests are available on SOL resource tables for:

Released SOL Test Items

VDOE releases sample sets of SOL tests that were administered during the previous spring test administration. Released tests and items are not inclusive of all assessments administered during the previous year but are representative of the content and skills assessed. Released tests and test items are available on SOL resource tables for:

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