Bill (HB1957), drafted under State Senator VanValkenburg and Delegate Helmer, was signed into law in early May with varying new policies for the Standards of Learning (SOL) exams, including making SOLs on a 100-point scale, implementing standardized testing as a final exam grade, and increasing cut scores. With these changes, the overarching goal is to intensify the role of SOLs in the classroom and force students to take standardized testing seriously.
VanValkenburg explains what the different policies entail, such as how the scoring measures will help in understanding student projections. “I thought that the 600-point scale was not transparent or comprehensible for students, parents, or teachers,” he reasons. “Nobody understands what a score of 512 means, but everyone understands what an 84 means.”
The new scoring system will also align with the final exam; rather than pass or fail, students will receive grades equivalent to the one they score on the SOL. The goal is that the new requirements will incentivize students to try harder.
VanValkenburg, as an AP Government teacher at Glen Allen High School, discusses how his experiences helped influence the final exam policy: “Some students had to take three finals in the last month of the year just for my class.” He continues, “Rather than have a state test and then another teacher test, we should have one final exam that counts for all students.”
The previous SOL measures for K-12 students marked a score of 400 as proficient and 500 as passing advanced; however, the new recommended performance level cut scores range significantly and are determined by grade level. The recommended performance level cut scores are the “goal” scores that are planned to become the benchmarks for Virginia students over time.
The Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) aims to gradually increase cut scores through “approaching scores” in a four or five-year time as a way to accommodate educators and students. On Oct. 23, the VDOE had a meeting to address the plan of action; however, no news of the decision has been released.
“There is still a lot of uncertainty surrounding the matter of cut scores,” VanValkenburg cautions. He further states the importance of how the new policies should be implemented into education systems, “We need to transition to higher cut scores slowly and methodically, so that schools, students, parents, and teachers can adapt appropriately. The cut scores should not be unduly high because then we will be unnecessarily holding students back.”
VanValkenburg also acknowledges more changes that may need to be made down the line due to the difficulty in crafting proper cut scores. “Right now, the state does not release enough tests, test questions, or enough data for teachers to adjust to higher cut scores.” Only with increased transparency will the ability to determine more accurate passing benchmarks become possible.
“Assessments should not be the only thing we care about in education, but they play an important role in understanding where students are succeeding and where they need support,” VanValkenburg concludes. “I think it’s important to note that we are trying to work toward a system where testing is important but not at the expense of other parts of a student’s education and where it is used to help support students and schools and not punish them.”
Many parents worry that students who suffer from learning disabilities are already at a disadvantage, even with accommodations. Additionally, the changing scores place new pressures on educators to a degree they have never faced before. There is no certainty of how the new SOL standards will affect students and teachers, but the hope is that it will strengthen Virginia’s education as a whole. Releasing previous tests and tutoring resources is vital to ensuring teachers have the proper tools for success. The question is: Are these new cut scores too difficult a jump for students to make?
