INFORMATIONAL

As part of the Department and Board's longstanding commitment to making public items
from the SOL tests, released items from the spring 1998 administration of the SOL 
tests were made available on the Internet on October 20, 1999.  As noted at that 
time, hard copies would be available in mid to late November.  This memo is being 
sent to provide notice of the pending schedule of shipment of the hard copies to 
schools and school divisions. 

All shipments to schools and divisions are slated to arrive between November 29 
and December 3, 1999.  Sufficient quantities of the grade-level released item 
booklets will be shipped to each school so that distribution may be made to students
in grade 3, 5, 8 and in the high school courses for which there are SOL tests.  Fall
membership figures were used to estimate the quantities needed.  Additional booklets
will be included so you may have them for interested teachers.  The booklets also 
will be shipped to each central office for use at that level.  

The hard copy versions are the same as the Internet version with one exception--the 
answer key for the questions may be found on the bottom of the pages, printed upside
down.  The Internet versions remain available for your reference.

This represents the third distribution of items related to the SOL tests.  Sample 
field test items were distributed in the spring of 1997; sample items were 
distributed in the fall of 1998.  The fall 1999 released items represent the third 
distribution.

Should you have questions regarding these documents, please direct them to a member 
of the staff of the Division of Assessment and Reporting at (804) 225-2102.

PDS/CMH/jc