April 14, 2017
TO: Division Superintendents
FROM: Steven R. Staples, Superintendent of Public Instruction
SUBJECT: Nominations for Substitute Tests Standard Setting Committees
The Division of Student Assessment and School Improvement is seeking nominations for standard setting committees for tests that have been nominated as substitute tests for verified credit as noted below. Substitute tests for verified credit are described as follows in the Regulations Establishing Standards for Accrediting Public Schools in Virginia, Section 8 VAC 20-131-110C, Standard and Verified Units of Credit at http://www.doe.virginia.gov/boe/accreditation/index.shtml:
The Board of Education may from time to time approve additional tests for the purpose of awarding verified credit. Such additional tests, which enable students to earn verified units of credit must, at a minimum, meet the following criteria:
- The test must be standardized and graded independently of the school or school division in which the test is given;
- The test must be knowledge based;
- The test must be administered on a multistate or international basis, or administered as part of another state’s accountability assessment program; and
- To be counted in a specific academic area, the test must measure content that incorporates or exceeds the Standards of Learning (SOL) content in the course for which verified credit is given.
The Virginia Department of Education has received nominations for the SAT Reading Test and the PSAT/PSAT10 Reading Test as substitute tests for the SOL End-of-Course (EOC) Reading Test; the SAT Writing and Language Test and the PSAT/PSAT10 Writing and Language Test as substitute tests for the SOL EOC Writing Test; the SAT Mathematics Test and the PSAT/PSAT10 Mathematics Test as substitute tests for the SOL EOC Algebra I Test.
The standard setting committee meetings will be held in Richmond, Virginia, as follows:
Substitute Tests for the EOC Reading Test Monday, June 19, 2017
Substitute Tests for the EOC Writing Test Tuesday, June 20, 2017
Substitute Tests for the EOC Algebra I Test Wednesday, June 21, 2017
The substitute test standard setting committees will be responsible for:
- Verifying that the nominated test is appropriate as a substitute test for verified credit; and
- Recommending cut scores for “proficient” and “advanced” for the nominated test as a substitute test for verified credit that will be submitted to the Virginia Board of Education for approval.
Approximately six 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 high school content areas of reading writing, or mathematics;
- in-depth knowledge of the 2010 Reading SOL for grades 9-11, the 2010 Writing SOL for grades 9-11, or the 2009 Algebra I SOL;
- experience with one or more of the tests that have been nominated as a substitute test for verified credit; and
- balanced regional representation.
Committee members will be provided the following:
- reimbursement for meals and travel expenses in accordance with state travel policy and guidelines;
- lodging;
- incentive of $125 per meeting day for committee members not under contract with a school division at the time of meetings; and
- certificate for recertification points (pending local approval).
All nominees who wish to serve on the substitute test standard setting committee 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 May 14, 2017.
If you have questions, please contact the student assessment staff by email at Student_Assessment@doe.virginia.gov or by phone at (804) 225-2102.
SRS/SLR/cd