Virginia Bill No Longer Require 3rd Grade Students To Take History And Science Standardized Tests

Virginia's 3rd graders may no longer have to take history and science standardized tests under a new proposal.

The state Senate voted to pass a bill Tuesday that scales back Standards of Learning testing for 3rd graders. The proposal, introduced by Democratic state Sen. John Miller, would only require standardized testing for math and English, and aims to allow teachers to focus on improving 3rd grade reading proficiency and test scores.

Miller told the Daily Press that the bill stems from a study that recommends limiting SOLs in the 3rd grade to just reading and math. Miller commissioned the study by the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission, who found that 95 percent of 3rd graders who pass the reading test also pass it two years later, whereas those who fail it have a 50 percent chance of failing the 5th grade exam.

The study, released in September, also points out that although the percentage of 3rd graders passing the reading exam has improved over the last 10 years, Virginia still falls short of its statewide goal of a 95 percent passage rate.

Republican state Sen. Mark Obenshain told the Associated Press that measures should be taken to improve student performance on reading exams, but ending the science and history tests is the wrong approach.

In response to critics who are concerned that the measure would hinder students' learning in history and science, Miller points out that students will still be taught the subjects, but won't be tested on them until the 4th and 5th grades.

"I believe it makes common sense to concentrate on reading and math, and give a good basic foundation in those two core subjects for our students," Miller told the Daily Press. "I think it's more important that the students be able to learn to read history textbooks than just to test them."

The move by the Virginia Senate comes after a draft of a Republican bill would eliminate the federal requirement for statewide science testing. The draft legislation, introduced this month by House Republicans led by Rep. John Kline (R-Minn.), chair of the House Education Committee, marks a reversal of provisions under the current No Child Left Behind Law, which requires science testing at least three times -- once each during elementary, middle and high school.

Virginia is just one of a number of states feeling the strain of federal and state standardized testing mandates. A Dallas elementary school that was given "exemplary" status for academic achievement was discovered to have only taught its third graders reading and math last year -- fabricating scores for every student in other subjects like social studies and science.

The Dallas Morning News reported in November that to propel the school's status, Field Elementary School Principal Roslyn Carter "directed and caused false school records to be created" so that teachers could focus on student excellence in reading and math.

Comments

[balletdancer345]

07:49 PM on 02/07/2012

This bill is not about NOT teaching science and social studies. It is about NOT testing those subjects. I am a Virginia 3rd grade teacher. You wouldn't believe how much material is packed into one year for Science and Social Studies. Go to the VDOE's site and look at the SOLs for 3rd grade Science and Social Studies. Basically, there isn't a lot of time to do extended projects and activities. You see, by at least the middle of May, I have to be done teaching, so that I can drill, drill, drill the students on those topics.
If anything, I see this bill as a benefit. It doesn't mean I'm going to cut those subjects for Reading. In fact, I think my instruction will change for the better in those subjects.
Also, I think it is a bit much for 3rd graders to be tested in all four subjects. When students come to 3rd grade, even their parents are surprised at how much of a game changing grade it is.

[vtmom3]

07:36 PM on 02/08/2012

Well said. Preparing students for a multiple choice test is not the same as teaching science.

[Herb F]

02:15 PM on 02/03/2012

It's so ridiculous that it sounds like a hoax. History I understand. We can always count on our politicians to give us the "correct" version of events with the correct biases. But downgrade science when we hear every day how we're falling behind the industrialized world? Oh, now I get it, religion will take care of that.

Herb F.

[mkmommy]

12:39 PM on 01/31/2012

Sorry for ranting on and on, I am just sick to see how much worse the school systems have gotten since I was there, and I am only 33. I would not doubt it at all if it were found that Americans were the least educated out of all the "super power" countries as they like to call themselves. To settle anyone's curiousity, I am neither Rep. nor Dem.

[mkmommy]

12:39 PM on 01/31/2012

Children are not taught cursive, they are even rushed so much to fit everything in handwriting is ignored to the point they sometimes couldnt go back and read their own writing, much less read the constitution, declaration of independance or anything written in cursive by anyone. There are children in high school that arent sure if Africa is a contenant or country, rediculous. The "race" to be more educated than other areas in the world and the way we are going about it is pushing us further and further behind. All subjects should and need to be taught, but there are develomental ages in which the order and specifics in each subject need to be taken into consideration. Another big/HUGE example of our failings...spelling/vocabulary, all of these tests are vocabulary based one way or another, yet most spelling lists ( if still done at all) consists of 10 words (usualy way below level) and there is no commitment to knowing what they mean or how to use it correctly. Most teachers who do assign sentences for homework just give a check mark if the correct amount of sentences were written. They werent even read to see if the word was used correctly, but all the tests are somehow related to vocabulary, ant. syn. and so forth. There is no concentration on the basic important stuff, and if there is no concrete foundation the possibility of quickly remembering technical stuff goes out of the window.

[mkmommy]

12:38 PM on 01/31/2012

As a mom of 4, I am sincerely hoping this passes. The information expected of 8-10year olds to know in science and history is beyond rediculous. There are alot of other issues in schools as well, varrying on the counties. Examples, only class sets of text books ( kids cant take them home), worksheets given instead of text book learning ( cant learn study/reference skills), many other types of testing not including SOL ( have no time to really teach, it is test test test), practice SOLs every 3rd week ( week off from teaching), last entire month of school is devoted to drill drill drill test test test for the SOLs ( entire month off of curriculum and cramming SOL info in), huge 10-15pg packets sent home a week before SOLs to stuff into the child's brain at once. The simple fact is, VA would do much better getting back to the basics in everything. You can talk to an elderly person and the amount of knowledge they learned especialy elecution, vocabulary, spelling, geography and so on, far exceeds today's learning. They didnt have nearly what we have to be educated by. It use to be important to know all the states, capitols, abreviations, locations, time zones, countries and their locations, continents....now most kids of all ages have a minute amount of knowledge in those areas.

[vtmom3]

11:40 PM on 01/28/2012

Do your homework before passing judgment on this bill. Look at the NY Regents. Only math and reading are tested in the 3rd grade. Social Studies is added in the 4th grade. Science, but not Social Studies, is tested in 5th. Does this mean NY doesn't consider science and social studies important? Let's hope this bill passes the house so students can spend more time developing critical thinking and problem solving skills rather than memorizing facts and learning how to bubble for a multiple choice test.

[Clamdip LobsterClaws]

12:34 PM on 01/26/2012

The most important milestones for third grade are reading comprehension,writing an intelligible paragraph or three and math, computation skills and ingenuity and creativity. Anything on top of having a good foundation in these areas is icing on the cake.

[MarkInVA]

12:33 PM on 01/26/2012

Welcome to the new Republican dominated Commonwealth of Virginia! Of course in their view history isn't important, since the world isn't old enough to have one and there is no such thing as science because it isn't referenced in the New Testament.

[vtmom3]

11:19 PM on 01/28/2012

The bill was sponsored by a Democrat. Virginia's SOL tests were a direct response to W's No Child Left Behind. If you look at the more progressive state of NY, that only math and reading are tested in the 3rd grade. Virginia's got a ways to go in many areas, but this bill is a good thing.

You'll be pleased to know that evolution is taught in high school biology in the Commonwealth. There may be pockets in the state where it's not taught, but my experience has been that parents who object opt for private schools or homeschooling.

[TommyMcCarthy]

11:43 AM on 01/26/2012

Why not just eliminate science and history altogether?

The 3rd graders will be prepared to vote the straight Republican ticket in 2024
tm

[vtmom3]

10:36 PM on 01/28/2012

The bill was sponsored by a Democrat and had broad bipartisan support. As a Virginia parent, teacher, and registered Democrat, I think this bill is a good thing and has been a long time coming. I agree that there's a base of knowledge students should have, but shoveling a list of factoids into them isn't about educating them for anything other than the test. Interestingly, the state had to move the Virginia history test back a year because students were being taught the material in a prior grade and not retaining enough of the facts to pass the next year. That's a pretty clear indication that little meaningful or long term learning was happening.

[TommyMcCarthy]

03:41 AM on 01/29/2012

VTMom......

I'm well cognizant of the problems associated with mandatory standardized testing....
and defer to actual educators whenever possible in discussions of this sort.

For example: the 1st twenty times I heard "No Child Left Behind"....I had little idea what an IRONIC title for an educational "reform" that would turn out to be.
And please believe this comes from one whose cynicism regarding the previous administration dates from well before his appointment to the Presidency.

Truthfully, (and without offense) my reaction was largely grounded in ONE word in the article....to wit: Virginia

I freely confess the juxtipositon of "education policy"...and "Virginia" prompted a knee-jerk reaction on my part.

It would be impossible to overstate the level of my "mistrust" (charitably) of your state's government and electorate.

There are plainly other "bad actors" in terms of politics generally...and education policy specifically.

That said:
Who really expects anything good from Texas, Mississippi, or S. Carolina.?

I admire your career choice and your service (one and the same)

To that end: consider me a fan....

And thank you for your response
tm

[J R M]

11:30 AM on 01/26/2012

What are the parents doing? Why are they not working with their kids on this? At this grade, all parents should be able to help their kids study and review material?

You get good at reading by reading. The more the merrier. When we restricted my son's screen time (TV, video games, DVD's, etc) he finally started reading more. As he read more he found more material that he wanted to read. And it takes off from there. I no longer worry about his reading. As for math, he didn't like it, but I told him that there were two standards he had to meet - mine and the schools. I flashcarded his math facts into him - over his loud objection. Then I supplemented his math homework with my own problems until he mastered long arithmetic. He is in 6th grade and taking 7th grade math (introductory algebra). I will keep pounding on the math until it becomes second nature to him.

[Wonder Woman2]

01:55 PM on 01/26/2012

oh yeah flash cards gfoster creative thought.....

[J R M]

03:46 PM on 01/26/2012

There is time for creativity after the basic facts and procedures are learned. I was easy on on him. I didn't hit him with other numerical bases, such as hexadecimal.

[LCLA]

10:49 AM on 01/26/2012

If we can't pass the exams, then we'll just ban the exams.
This is Virginia's approach to solving educational problems?
Sticking their collective heads in the sand?
If I close my eyes, then I can't see it.
And if I can't see it, then it doesn't exist.
What is the world coming to?

[vtmom3]

10:58 PM on 01/28/2012

Have you actually looked at the tests? Chances are many of the posters here couldn't answer some of the questions. Here's a sample: What river runs through Mali? What is mined in Mali? To what country did Mansa Musa travel? Which kind of column is pictured: Ionic, Corinthian, or Doric? If you want to buy soda and icecream but you choose just icecream, the soda becomes what? Who established the first permanent French settlement in Quebec, Canada?

[Dede Eagleburger]

09:54 AM on 01/26/2012

Wow, this hits really close to home for me, and I have feelings both ways about it...
Getting rid of any state-required standardized tests is a good thing. So for that part, I'm glad to see it...the 3rd grade teachers still have the ability to teach history and science, and test on it themselves, if they can find the time to. My first-grader has history and science blocks and while they aren't as emphasized as reading and math, at least she and the other students are getting some exposure to it.
As a high school history/geography teacher, though, I fear that even more of my students will come through and not be able to find the United States on a map of the world...

[DavidMartindale]

08:56 AM on 01/26/2012

consanguineous relationships will still be allowed however

[RealAmericansOnly]

01:52 AM on 01/26/2012

All testing should be eliminated.

We can start with the most obvious flawed ones, such as high-stakes standardized tests, which only make the private companies that administer them rich while teaching students how to take a defective test on a bubble in form. How is that teaching critical thinking and risk-taking?

There are countless other, more effective, ways to assess students. But bubble in forms allow money to flow into the pockets of private companies and permit schools to digitize students with scores so that money can once again shift in and out of hands. Tests, as well as the entire corporate order of schooling, has failed, not students.

[smoker]

12:14 AM on 01/26/2012

Sigh. How are we going to compete with Asia? Seems like the politicians have decided to sell us, lock, stock and barrel to the highest bidder in China, India, S. Korea, Singapore etc.

[daughterusmc]

05:47 AM on 01/26/2012

Please. These tests require the teacher to have X passing rate, so even of the many students in the class show that they already know the info in October when they pre-test, if X do not, they have to, as in are required to, continue teaching the same material. The testing isn't moving the train along, on the contrary, it is holding it back. This is the issue that is being addressed.

[smoker]

08:23 AM on 01/26/2012

Coming from Asia, perhaps you should see the level of education a 3rd grader gets in Asia. A 3rd grader in Asia can run rings around a 4th grader in USA, especially in language, science and maths. It's all about the passing rate here, not there.

[smoker]

01:48 PM on 01/26/2012

I feel bad for you and the teachers of USA for getting the short end of the stick for no fault of your. Thank you and please keep teaching :)

With both me and my wife coming from defense families (Navy/CG), a salute to the USMC personnel in your family.

Cheers