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