The Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) has developed a new type of test question for future Standards of Learning (SOL) Reading assessments in grades 5, 8, and high school. Before this new type of test item is administered to students as part of the SOL Reading tests in grades 5, 8, and high school, it is being tried out with students this spring during what is called a field test. Students in grades 5, 8, and high school (usually grade 11) who are scheduled to take the online SOL Reading test will participate in this field test for the new item type.
During the field test, students will read a nonfiction passage online that may be about a history or science topic and then answer four to six questions about what they have read. One question is a writing prompt, or a question that asks students to write about what they have read. Students will complete this online in one session. Currently, the VDOE is only trying out this item type in an online format. In the future, this item type will be available in other formats for students needing an accommodation such as braille, large print, or audio.
Examples of this new item type are available for students, parents, and teachers to view online in what are called “Integrated Reading and Writing Item Sets.” These item sets include examples for grade 5, grade 8, and high school students and can be located using the SOL Practice Items page of the VDOE website. A guide, Integrated Reading and Writing Practice Items, is also available for download and use with these item sets. The guide gives information about each practice item and how students can use the available online tools.
It is important to know that individual test results from the field test will not be available to students, but results of the field test will be used to make decisions about use of the new integrated reading and writing item type on state assessments in the future.
At CAROLINE HIGH SCHOOL, the field test will occur on April 18th. Students may have as much time as they need to complete this test during the school day.
Please be sure to bring a CHARGED Chromebook to testing and see your 1st period teacher for your testing location.
