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