| Previously, the Virginia schools were | | | | special education children. For those |
| required to test, under the No Child Left | | | | Virginia schools students who are not apt to |
| Behind Act, many of its children with | | | | reach grade level achievement within the same |
| disabilities in reading, math and science, | | | | timeframe as their peers without |
| regardless of their ability to do so. Unless | | | | disabilities, they will be able to take a |
| they were severely disabled, the children had | | | | modified test. |
| to take state-required tests for their grade | | | | |
| level whether or not they had the skills and | | | | Special tests will be written for individual |
| understanding. Thus, many of these special | | | | students on their grade level content but at |
| students failed the tests. Testing grades | | | | their level of understanding and ability. |
| were third, eighth and 11th on an annual | | | | Otherwise, a Virginia schools fifth grade, |
| basis. | | | | disabled child with a third grade |
| | | | understanding will take a test at a third |
| This caused several problems that were | | | | grade level of comprehension on the fifth |
| frustrating for both the Virginia schools | | | | grade content. To ensure the new regulations |
| educators and the children: | | | | are not abused, schools can test up to an |
| | | | additional two percent of students, who meet |
| Their test scores were pulling down the | | | | the eligibility requirements, under the |
| school state rankings. Virginia schools are | | | | modified testing rules. |
| required to meet annual student achievement | | | | |
| goals based upon these test scores. If they | | | | The federal government will give states more |
| do not meet the goals, Virginia schools | | | | than $21 million to cover the cost of |
| experience many possible sanctions, such as | | | | creating the new tests and guidelines for |
| losing students to better scoring schools, | | | | their use. The new tests are slated to be put |
| reorganizing or closing. | | | | into service by the 2008-2009 school year. |
| | | | |
| It made the students feel like failures, | | | | With the new changes, state rankings of the |
| since they do not have the capacity to | | | | Virginia schools will more accurately reflect |
| participate fully in the testing process at | | | | the true achievements (or lack thereof) of |
| their grade level. | | | | each school. Additionally, Virginia schools |
| | | | teachers will be able to use the test scores |
| Virginia schools educators had no accurate | | | | to target problem areas for each of these |
| indicator as to how well these students were | | | | children. The students can more fully |
| progressing or failing. Since the testing was | | | | participate in the testing process, showing |
| created for the non-disabled child at grade | | | | teachers and parents what they have learned |
| level, there was no accurate benchmark or | | | | and how they are progressing. |
| test to show how these disabled children were | | | | |
| progressing and what might be needed to do a | | | | The new modifications for Virginia schools |
| better job for them. | | | | testing are a welcomed change by students, |
| | | | educators and parents alike, making the |
| In April 2007, the U.S. Education Department | | | | Virginia schools testing a more useful tool |
| modified its rules governing the testing of | | | | not just a hit or miss measurement. |