I've noticed a marked difference between FCPS teacher's approaches to testing in FCPS - one very thorough and agressive when the stakes are the teachers' evaluation, another much more haphazard when it's 'just' the students' grades at stake.

My kid is taking the writing SOL's this week - we got letters home (in the mail, not just e-mail), reminders to get a good night's sleep, admonishments about scheduling doctors appointments or anything else that would take them out of school, and lots of practice tests over the last couple months. In class before the test, the teacher had bagels for the kids so no one would be hungry during the test. Also, zero homework this week. They really left no stone unturned in preparing for that test, which is the basis for evaluation of the teachers and the school.

Contrast that with a regular old test that tied out the unit they were studying in the 2nd quarter - also a pretty important test since it was 'the' grade for that subject, but one that would only show up on the kids' report cards. Test was scheduled, re-scheduled, re-scheduled again due to teacher absence - my kid ended up studying three different evenings for the test only to have it not administered, then it was given with no notice a week later.

I couldn't help but notice that the one that measures the teacher (SOL) is meticulously prepped for, and the one that measures the student is almost purposefully administered without regard to the impact on student performance.

yes they only care when it is the school or teacher's reputation or funding, I love it when they used to provide breakfast only on the testing day, otherwise your kid can starve, they like to fatten them up, like the witch in Hansel and Gretel.

Sol's are not factored into teacher evaluations.

Hey dazed and confused, are you half-baked right now? YOU are supposed to get your kid ready for the test that impacts YOUR KID!!!

And, SOL's (so far) are NOT a factor in teacher evaluation. They do matter matter to your school and can affect funding in the future if students don't meet Annual Yearly Progress. AND, the SOLs DO matter to your kid when they get to high school - they will not graduate if they don't pass enough of the required tests.

What an f'ing whiny parent you are! Instead of thanking your school for the extra attention on SOL day you bitch and moan about your kid's teacher. Gotta love Fairfax County! I bet you'll post anonymous complaints about your kid's coach after they get cut from a school team!

dazed and confused Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> My kid is taking the writing SOL's this week - we
> got letters home (in the mail, not just e-mail),
> reminders to get a good night's sleep,
> admonishments about scheduling doctors
> appointments or anything else that would take them
> out of school, and lots of practice tests over the
> last couple months.

Wow. My kid also took the writing SOLs this week and we got NOTHING at home -- no letter, no email, no reminder, no admonishment about doctor's appointments. They had one practice test last week (30 minutes) to review the multiple choice questions and selecting the "best" (but might not be 100% correct) answer. They did the multiple choice SOL on Monday and the short paper SOL today.

No angst. No freak out. Nothing.

Good stuff OP. I proctored the SOL during my planning period, then gave a vocab quiz 20 minutes after the SOL was completed.

No bagels either.

ru high? Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Hey dazed and confused, are you half-baked right
> now? YOU are supposed to get your kid ready for
> the test that impacts YOUR KID!!!
>
> And, SOL's (so far) are NOT a factor in teacher
> evaluation. They do matter matter to your school
> and can affect funding in the future if students
> don't meet Annual Yearly Progress. AND, the SOLs
> DO matter to your kid when they get to high school
> - they will not graduate if they don't pass enough
> of the required tests.
>
> What an f'ing whiny parent you are! Instead of
> thanking your school for the extra attention on
> SOL day you bitch and moan about your kid's
> teacher. Gotta love Fairfax County! I bet you'll
> post anonymous complaints about your kid's coach
> after they get cut from a school team!

Ah, the hate from the FCPS teaching staff - so predictable on FFXU.

And if you bother to read, I'm noting the difference in the level of attention given to a test that matters to the teacher (and yes, the school's score does matter to teachers) versus the ones that just part of the regular grading. Maybe my kid's school is out there - they do have a 95 - 99% pass rate - but I see the same thing every year, so it's not just individual teachers.

you dont like it, you can home school them?

sounds easy enough

dazed and confused Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Ah, the hate from the FCPS teaching staff - so
> predictable on FFXU.
>
> And if you bother to read, I'm noting the
> difference in the level of attention given to a
> test that matters to the teacher (and yes, the
> school's score does matter to teachers) versus the
> ones that just part of the regular grading. Maybe
> my kid's school is out there - they do have a 95 -
> 99% pass rate - but I see the same thing every
> year, so it's not just individual teachers.

Sure, it matters to the teachers, but no part of the teacher's evaluation is based on the SOL scores.

dazed and confused Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I've noticed a marked difference between FCPS
> teacher's approaches to testing in FCPS - one very
> thorough and agressive when the stakes are the
> teachers' evaluation, another much more haphazard
> when it's 'just' the students' grades at stake.
>
> My kid is taking the writing SOL's this week - we
> got letters home (in the mail, not just e-mail),
> reminders to get a good night's sleep,
> admonishments about scheduling doctors
> appointments or anything else that would take them
> out of school, and lots of practice tests over the
> last couple months. In class before the test, the
> teacher had bagels for the kids so no one would be
> hungry during the test. Also, zero homework this
> week. They really left no stone unturned in
> preparing for that test, which is the basis for
> evaluation of the teachers and the school.
>
> Contrast that with a regular old test that tied
> out the unit they were studying in the 2nd quarter
> - also a pretty important test since it was 'the'
> grade for that subject, but one that would only
> show up on the kids' report cards. Test was
> scheduled, re-scheduled, re-scheduled again due to
> teacher absence - my kid ended up studying three
> different evenings for the test only to have it
> not administered, then it was given with no notice
> a week later.
>
> I couldn't help but notice that the one that
> measures the teacher (SOL) is meticulously prepped
> for, and the one that measures the student is
> almost purposefully administered without regard to
> the impact on student performance.


OMG -- what a conspiracy. Time to investigate.

All the kids in school are about to take the SOL (yes, the result can impact the student and the school) and the principal sends out a note encouraging kids to sleep well, come to school on time, and eat a good breakfast. How dare he/she tell us how to raise our kids?

On an unrelated note, a single teacher gets sick and a test/quiz is postponed for a couple days. Teacher comes back and says to the class it’s time to take test. Clearly, this test was “purposefully administered without regard to the impact on student performance.” Proof that the system wants our kids to fail (as long as the teacher can still look good)!

Please, tell us you are a troll. You can't be serious.

Random Dude Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Sol's are not factored into teacher evaluations.


What county are you from? It's the ONLY measure in our school.

Ask any fifth grade teacher (1) what reason do they need to get extra resources and (2) how their success is measured.

Oh, and how teachers are selected to teach fifth grade.

Einstein Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Ask any fifth grade teacher (1) what reason do
> they need to get extra resources and (2) how their
> success is measured.
>
> Oh, and how teachers are selected to teach fifth
> grade.


Are some teachers asked to teach 5th grade because 5th grade is an SOL test year? I’d guess so. Doubt their success is “measured” by the test results, though. By the way, your post has nothing to do with the OP’s gripes. But go ahead and keep griping. Surely there are other things you can complain about.

If you don't think SOL passrates are used not only to evaluate teachers (though certainly not on the written tool) you don't know FCPS very well, not only are they USED, they are used in decisions about where to place them and whether they are offered a continuing contract. Teachers with a poor pass rate are identified and put on a "plan". They give the kids extra attention for SOLS because they care about test scores NOT the kids. Nuff said.

The teacher evaluation form can be found without much digging. The sols are not a factor in teacher evaluations.

Dipshit Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Random Dude Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Sol's are not factored into teacher
> evaluations.
>
>
> What county are you from? It's the ONLY measure
> in our school.

jeanny Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> If you don't think SOL passrates are used not only
> to evaluate teachers (though certainly not on the
> written tool) you don't know FCPS very well, not
> only are they USED, they are used in decisions
> about where to place them and whether they are
> offered a continuing contract. Teachers with a
> poor pass rate are identified and put on a "plan".
> They give the kids extra attention for SOLS
> because they care about test scores NOT the kids.
> Nuff said.

Paranoid much?

Dipshit Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Random Dude Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Sol's are not factored into teacher
> evaluations.
>
>
> What county are you from? It's the ONLY measure
> in our school.

I've worked for FCPS for 19 years. It's not any part of the evaluation. If it was used I'd be on the horn with my union ASAP.

Who cares? The SOL's are a fucking joke. If you don't pass you don't deserve to be in public schools.

jeanny Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> If you don't think SOL passrates are used not only
> to evaluate teachers (though certainly not on the
> written tool) you don't know FCPS very well, not
> only are they USED, they are used in decisions
> about where to place them and whether they are
> offered a continuing contract. Teachers with a
> poor pass rate are identified and put on a "plan".
> They give the kids extra attention for SOLS
> because they care about test scores NOT the kids.
> Nuff said.

IF the administrator is using SOL scores as part of an evaluation, then he isn't completing the evaluation properly.

http://www.fcps.edu/hr/epd/evaluations/handbooks/teacher.pdf

tgbwc Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> jeanny Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > If you don't think SOL passrates are used not
> only
> > to evaluate teachers (though certainly not on
> the
> > written tool) you don't know FCPS very well,
> not
> > only are they USED, they are used in decisions
> > about where to place them and whether they are
> > offered a continuing contract. Teachers with a
> > poor pass rate are identified and put on a
> "plan".
> > They give the kids extra attention for SOLS
> > because they care about test scores NOT the
> kids.
> > Nuff said.
>
> IF the administrator is using SOL scores as part
> of an evaluation, then he isn't completing the
> evaluation properly.
>
> http://www.fcps.edu/hr/epd/evaluations/handbooks/t
> eacher.pdf

From ^^^

"1. The teacher plans instruction to meet individual, group, and program needs.
The teacher . . .
a. establishes both short-term and long-range objectives based upon the FCPS Program of Studies and
the state's Standards of Learning

1. The teacher demonstrates an understanding of subject area.
The teacher . . .

c. implements lessons that support the Program of Studies and Standards of Learning

STANDARD 1: Planning and Assessment
• How have you applied your knowledge of POS, SOL, AP, or IB objectives to the planning,
implementation, and assessment of instructional programs?

STANDARD 2: Instruction
• Describe your efforts to master and support the POS and SOLs in your field

STRATEGIES:
...
• Work with the grade-level team to develop quarterly assessments based on POS and SOL objectives"


I see - you are supposed to do all of the above based on the Standards of Learning, but the SOL results aren't used in your evaluation. I'm beginning to understand the problem here...