An Overview of SOL Development and Resources

An Introduction to Virginias Standards of Learning, Assessments, and Related Resources Provided by the Virginia Department of EducationDr. Linda WallingerAssistant Superintendent for InstructionVirginia Department of EducationNovember 1, 2012

This presentation is the first in a series of videos and narrated PowerPoints prepared by staff at the Virginia Department of Education to provide information to stakeholders about what Virginias Standards of Learning are, how they are developed and assessed, and the resources the Department provides to teachers and school divisions. Other topics covered in the series include a more detailed explanation of how items and tests are developed for Virginias statewide assessment program and discussions about the rigor of Virginias revised Standards of Learning. Additionally, the specialists in each of the four tested content areas English, mathematics, science, and history and social science have provided specific accounts of standards development in their content areas, how the new standards differ from the old standards, and the resources developed by the Department of Education to support those standards. We hope you find these presentations useful! 110/25/2012Standards of Learning Revision and Assessment TimelineSubject AreaStandards of Learning & Curriculum Framework ApprovedFull Implementation & Assessments Based Entirely on New Standards Health, PE, & Driver Ed*2008N/AHistory and Social Science20082010-2011Mathematics20092011-2012English20102012-2013Science20102012-2013Computer Technology*2012N/AFine Arts*2013N/AForeign Language*2014N/AHealth, PE, & Driver Ed*2015N/AHistory and Social Science20152017-2018*These subject areas do not have state assessments and do not have Curriculum Frameworks.

#The Standards of Learning (SOL) for Virginias Public Schools establish minimum expectations for what students should know and be able to do at the end of each grade or course in English, mathematics, science, history and social science, the fine arts, foreign language, health and physical education, driver education, and computer technology.

The Code of Virginia requires that the standards be reviewed and revised if necessary at least every seven years. The Board of Education has established a review schedule, with the most recent cycle beginning in 2008 with the review of the Health, Physical Education, Driver Education and History and Social Science Standards of Learning. Almost annually, thereafter, the Mathematics Standard of Learning were revised in 2009, followed by the English and Science Standards of Learning in 2010. The schedule calls for review of the Computer Technology, Fine Arts, and Foreign Language Standards to be reviewed in subsequent years, and then the cycle will begin again.

Curriculum Frameworks are developed for the four content areas that also have state assessments English, mathematics, science, and history and social science. During the two years following approval of the standards, test questions based on the new standards are field tested. Generally, assessments based entirely on the new standards are administered three years after the Board approved the standards.210/25/2012The Standards of Learning Review ProcessDOE seeks public comment on the old Standards of Learning.DOE convenes review committees.Committees meet to analyze the comments and review other information relevant to improving the SOL.Committee members make recommendations for revisions.DOE staff develop a proposed draft of revised SOL.The proposed draft is provided to higher education faculty and the business community for feedback.

#Once the Board of Education approves the review process for a set of subject area Standards of Learning, public comment is invited on the old standards. Generally, public comment is submitted both by mail and electronically.

Simultaneously, the Department of Education invites teachers and others to apply to serve on the SOL review committees. Committee members are selected based on their experience and expertise in the content area. An effort is made to attract a broad range of individuals who are representative of school divisions across the state.

Department of Education staff then prepare for a face-to-face meeting with the SOL review committee members. Over the period of several days, they analyze the public comments, review national documents and reports related to the content area, and make recommendations for potential revisions.

Department of Education staff members and the review committees then develop a draft of the proposed Standards of Learning based on the work of the committees. This draft is shared with higher education faculty and the business community for feedback, and the proposed draft may be further revised.

10/25/20123The Standards of Learning Review ProcessFeedback is incorporated into the proposed revised SOL, which are presented to the Board of Education for first review.The Board seeks public comment for 30 days.DOE staff review the comments and make final edits.A summary of public comments is provided to the Board of Education at final review.The Board approves the Standards of Learning.The public and school divisions are notified by Superintendents Memorandum.

#Department of Education staff then prepare final documents to present to the Board of Education for first review. Following first review, a minimum 30-day public comment period is publicized, and again comments on the proposed new standards may be submitted by U.S. mail or electronically.

DOE staff review the comments and make any final edits. A summary of the public comments is shared with the Board of Education when the standards are submitted for final review.

Once the standards have been approved by the Board, they are posted to the Department of Educations Web site and notice is provided to the public and Virginias school divisions.

10/25/20124Curriculum FrameworkCurriculum Framework details the specific knowledge and skills students must possess for each of the subject areas with statewide assessments.DOE convenes a committee to review the Curriculum Framework to ensure alignment with the new SOL.Curriculum Framework is presented to the Board of Education for first review.A 30-day public comment period is held.A final copy is submitted to the Board of Education for final review and approval.Curriculum Framework is posted to the DOEs Web site.

#The Department of Education develops, and the Board of Education approves, a Curriculum Framework based on the Standards of Learning for the four content areas that have statewide assessments English, mathematics, science, and history and social science. Other resources are developed to support the other content areas. For example, Driver Education has a Curriculum and Administrative Guide for Driver Education in Virginia; Fine Arts has sample curricula in music, theatre, and visual arts.

The Curriculum Frameworks detail the specific knowledge and skills students must possess to meet the standards for each of the subjects with statewide assessments. Once the Board of Education has approved the Standards of Learning, Department staff again seek committee members to revise the Curriculum Frameworks so they align with the new Standards of Learning. The proposed Curriculum Frameworks are presented to the Board of Education for first review, followed by a 30-day public comment period. Feedback from the public comments may be incorporated into the proposed Curriculum Frameworks when they are presented to the Board for final review and approval. Once the Board of Education approves the Curriculum Frameworks, they are posted to the Department of Educations Web site, and the public and school divisions are notified.

10/25/20125Curriculum FrameworkCurriculum Framework should be the basis for local curriculum development.Each subject area Curriculum Framework unpacks each standard so teachers know the exact concepts and skills that will be tested on Virginias Standards of Learning assessments.

#Virginia does not have required statewide curricula in English, mathematics, science, and history and social science. However, the Curriculum Frameworks in these content areas should provide the basis for curricula developed by school divisions because they define the understandings, knowledge, and skills that are measured by the Standards of Learning assessments.

Each Standard of Learning is unpacked so teachers know the exact concepts and skills associated with each standard. The Curriculum Frameworks are used to develop the questions included on Virginias Standards of Learning assessments. 10/25/20126Grade 4 Mathematics Curriculum Framework

#This page from the Curriculum Framework for Grade 4 mathematics provides a good example of the kind of information contained in a Curriculum Framework. The standard is printed at the top of the page. There is some background information provided for the teacher, and then two columns detail exactly what students should know and be able to do to meet this standard.710/25/2012Curricular ResourcesCrosswalks between the old Standards of Learning and the new Standards of LearningEnhanced Scope and Sequence Sample Lesson PlansContent-specific Web pagesSOL institutes and presentations at conferences and other local, regional, and statewide eventsMost resources posted to the DOEs Web page

#As the Standards of Learning are being phased into classrooms, the Department of Education develops additional resources to assist teachers and school divisions. DOE staff prepare crosswalks that show how the new standards are different from the old standards. They work with practitioners to develop the Enhanced Scope and Sequence Sample Lesson Plans that incorporate the content, skills, and rigor that students are expected to achieve. Some content areas maintain Web pages related to specific topics such as Virginias Indians or civics education. All the content specialists conduct institutes and make other presentations on the new standards at conferences and professional development events across the state. Some content areas have developed instructional videos for teachers. Most of these resources are available on the Department of Educations Web page. The addresses for these pages will be shared at the end of this presentation.

810/25/2012SOL AssessmentsEnglish ReadingGrades 3 8, and Grade 11 End-of-CourseEnglish WritingGrades 5, 8, and Grade 11 End-of-CourseMathematicsGrades 3 8, Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra IIScienceGrades 3, 5, 8, and Earth Science, Biology, and ChemistryHistory and Social ScienceGrade 3, Virginia Studies, U.S. History to 1865, U.S. History 1865 to Present, Civics and EconomicsWorld Geography, World History and Geography to 1500, World History and Geography 1500 to Present, Va. and U.S. History

#Once the Instruction staff have completed their work with the Standards and Curriculum Frameworks, the Assessment staff begins its work to develop new tests based on the new standards. In Virginia, there are Standards of Learning tests in English reading in grades 3 8, and at the end of Grade 11 English. English writing is tested in grades 5, 8, and again at the end of Grade 11 English. Mathematics is tested in grades 3 8 and in Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra II. There are science SOL assessments in grades 3, 5, and 8, and Earth Science, Biology, and Chemistry. Finally, history and social science is tested in elementary and middle school in grade 3, and in the subjects of Virginia Studies, U.S. History to 1865, U.S. History 1865 to the Present, and Civics and Economics. High school assessments include World Geography, World History and Geography to 1500, World History and Geography 1500 to the Present, and Virginia and U.S. History.

910/25/2012Test BlueprintsTests are based on the Standards of Learning and the Curriculum Framework.The test blueprint providesReporting categoriesAssignment of standards to the categoriesAny SOL that may be excluded from the testGeneral information about how the test is constructed

#Assessment questions are developed using the Standards of Learning and the Curriculum Framework. Within a few months after approval of the Curriculum Framework, a test blueprint is published that provides general test information such as reporting categories, the assignments of standards to those categories, any Standards of Learning that may be excluded from the test, such as those related to English oral language and the role of the Curriculum Framework in preparing students for the test.1010/25/2012Grade 3 Mathematics Test Blueprint

#The test blueprint also provides a summary table that shows the reporting categories, which standards have been assigned to each, and the number of questions that the test will contain in each reporting category.

As the new standards are being phased in to instruction, new questions are field tested each year. This allows the number of questions in the data bank to be replenished each year as old tests are released. The blueprint also shows how many field-test items will be included on the test. While these items are not identified when the test is administered, they do not count towards a students score on the test. Rather, the data the questions yield is used to determine if the item should become part of a future SOL assessment.

The first test to be composed completely of questions based on the new Standards of Learning is generally administered about 3 years after the standards have been approved, thus permitting time for school divisions to revise their curriculum and instruction.1110/25/2012Released Tests and Practice ItemsReleased tests from the previous years spring test administrationTechnology-enhanced itemsStudents respond in ways other than multiple choiceComprise 10 15% of Mathematics, English, and Science Standards of Learning tests

#The Department of Education releases sample sets of Standards of Learning tests that were administered to Virginia public school students during the previous spring test administration. The released tests are not inclusive of all SOL tests administered during the previous year; however, the tests are representative of the content and skills assessed. One factor that may influence whether or not a test is released is the number of questions available in the test item data bank. For example, as a new test comes on board, there may not be enough questions available after the first year to release a complete test and still have sufficient questions for the following years test.

In 2011-2012, technology enhanced items were introduced to Virginias mathematics assessments and are also part of the assessments in English and science. Technology enhanced items require students to indicate their responses in ways other than multiple choice. Practice items in this format are available on the Departments Web page, along with a brief narrated demonstration of various technology-enhanced item types that appear on the spring 2012 Mathematics SOL tests. Technology-enhanced items comprise approximately 10 to 15 percent of the Mathematics, English, and Science Standards of Learning tests.1210/25/2012Other Resources in this SeriesAn Overview of Standards of Learning Item and Test DevelopmentContent-specific explanations of how the Standards of Learning in a particular subject area were developed and the DOE resources available to support themSeveral discussions about the meaning of rigor in Virginias Standards of Learning

#This presentation is part of a professional library of resources developed by the Department of Education to help teachers better understand how the Standards of Learning and the state assessments are created and the resources the Department produces to assist them in teaching students. Other videos and narrated PowerPoints in this series contain more detailed information about Virginias assessments and several discussions about the meaning of rigor as it applies to Virginias Standards of Learning.

Department of Education staff in each of the four tested subject areas have also prepared 10-15 minutes descriptions of the specific process used for the development of Standards of Learning in their content areas as well as DOE resources available to support those standards. Additional discussions are related to how the specific content areas are assessed.1310/25/2012For More InformationInformation about Virginias Standards of Learning is available at:http://www.doe.virginia.gov/testing andhttp://www.doe.virginia.gov/instruction or call the Department of Education at 804-225-2880

This presentation and others in the series are available on the Department of Educations Web site at:http://www.doe.virginia.gov/testing/teacher_direct/sol_library

#More information about Virginias Standards of Learning is available from the Virginia Department of Educations Web site at www.doe.virginia.gov.

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