INFORMATIONAL

     Attached to this memo is the schedule for the State
  Testing Program for the 1997-98 school year.  Please inform
  all personnel of these testing dates so that other activities
  can be scheduled without conflicts.

  Virginia State Assessment Program (VSAP) Information

     The Stanford Achievement Test, Ninth Edition, Form TA,
  Abbreviated (Stanford 9, TA), administered to students in
  grades 3, 5, 8, and 11 will be administered to students during
  the period April 1 through April 30, 1998.  

     For home-instructed students in grades K through 11, the
  appropriate level of the Stanford 9 SA may be administered
  during the period indicated above.

  Literacy Testing Program Information

  Summer 1997 Literacy Passport Test Administration

     Information about the Summer 1997 administration was
  conveyed in Superintendent's Memo #7 and Testing Memo #208,
  dated January 24, 1997.

    Supts. Memo. No. 75
  Page 2
  May 2, 1997


  Fall 1997 Literacy Passport Test Administration

     The reading and mathematics tests for the LPT must be
  administered during the period October 1 through October 8,
  1997, to 1) seventh grade, eighth grade, and unclassified
  students who have not passed one or more tests during the
  previous test opportunities, 2) students in the seventh
  through twelfth grades who transferred into Virginia public
  schools after the February 1997 administration and 3) adult
  education students who are pursuing standard or advanced
  studies diplomas. Local divisions may establish reading,
  mathematics, and makeup dates to meet their local needs within
  the stated "window."  However, the writing test must be
  initially administered one day statewide, October 9, 1997. 
  Divisions are expected to schedule a full day of school on
  October 9, 1997, to accommodate this testing.  All students
  will respond to only one writing prompt on the Fall 1997 LPT. 
  This prompt will be the same statewide.  Students who are
  absent on the day of the statewide writing test will take a
  different prompt as a make-up.

     Adult education programs wishing to schedule their LPT
  administration on a single Saturday should plan for that to be
  Saturday, October 11, 1997.  As in previous administrations
  involving adult students, there will be a fee associated with
  their testing.

  Spring 1998 Literacy Passport Test Administration

     The reading and mathematics tests for the LPT must be
  administered during the period February 2 through February 10,
  1998 to 1) all sixth grade students  2) seventh grade, eighth
  grade, and unclassified students who have not passed one or
  more tests during the previous test opportunities, 3) students
  in the seventh through twelfth grades who transferred into
  Virginia public schools after the Fall 1997 administration and
  4) adult education students pursuing a standard or advanced
  studies diploma. Local divisions may establish reading,
  mathematics, and makeup dates to meet their local needs within
  the stated "window."  However, the writing test must be
  initially administered one day statewide, February 11, 1998. 
    Divisions are expected to schedule a full day of school on 
  Supts. Memo. No. 75 
  Page 3
  May 2, 1997

  February 11, 1998, to accommodate this testing.   

     All students enrolled in Virginia public schools who
  anticipate having sufficient credits to graduate by August 31,
  1998, who are required to pass the LPT and have not yet passed
  the writing test, will respond to both the regular and the
  make-up 
  prompt.  All adult education students, regardless of whether
  they are slated to graduate in the Class of 1998, will also
  respond to both prompts in the Spring 1998 administration. 
  All other students will respond to only one writing prompt. 
  Adult education programs 
  wishing to schedule their LPT administration on a single
  Saturday should plan for that to be Saturday, February 14,
  1998.  As in previous administrations involving adult
  students, there will be a fee associated with their testing.

  Spring 1998 Graduating Senior Administration

     The Department will follow the same procedure as used in
  Spring 1997 to accommodate students entering Virginia public
  schools as seniors after the Spring 1998 administration.  The
  Department will supply divisions with sufficient materials to
  test these students on an as-needed basis.  Request forms for
  these materials will be sent to school divisions in the Spring
  of 1998 after the Spring LPT administration has been
  completed.

  Summer 1998 Literacy Passport Test Administration

     Specific dates and details have not been worked out for
  this administration as of this date.  A schedule will be sent
  to you 
  under separate cover once such decisions have been made.

  Preliminary LPT Testing--Writing and Reading

     The scoring of the fourth-grade writing assessment can be
  performed by locally trained teachers or may be contracted at
  local expense.  Divisions planning to score locally may
  schedule the writing assessment at their convenience. 
  Divisions contracting for scoring must follow the schedule set
  by the contractor.  School divisions wishing to utilize the
  fourth-grade Degrees of Reading Power (DRP) as a preliminary
    literacy test in reading at grade 4  Supts. Memo. No. 75
  Page 4
  May 2, 1997


  must arrange for scoring and be prepared to pay for the
  scoring from local funds.  The Department will continue to
  supply divisions with the fourth-grade DRP booklets.

  Class of 1996 Students and the LPT

     Students in the Classes of 1996 and 1997 who have
  completed all requirements for a high school diploma except
  for passing the LPT may attempt the test(s) they have not
  passed in the Summer 1997, Fall 1997, Spring 1998, or Summer
  1998 LPT administrations.

  Standards of Learning Assessments

     The schedule for the Standards of Learning Assessments
  has not been established. Once established it will be sent via
  Superintendent's Memo to each school division.

  Minimum Competency Test Information

     After 1997-98, the Department of Education will no long
  offer the opportunity to take the Minimum Competency Tests to
  members of the classes of 1981 through 1988 who completed all
  requirements for a high school diploma except for passing
  these tests.  According to Regulatory Superintendent's Memo
  No. 20, July 28, 1982, "School leavers may take the current
  tests only as long as the present program is in effect and the
  tests are being administered to regularly enrolled students. 
  If or when the competency program is modified, school leavers
  will be expected to meet the standards of the new program." 
  This would mean that students in the classes of 1981-88 who
  left school without receiving a high school diploma would need
  to pass the Literacy Passport Tests, beginning with the 1998-99
  school year.

  Questions

     Questions concerning these testing programs should be
  addressed to Cameron Harris, Shelley Loving-Ryder, Kevin
  Hughes, Dan Keeling, or Judy Singh at 804/225-2102.

  RTL/mwc

  Attachment:  A hard copy of this memo and its attachment
               will be sent to the superintendent's office.