K-12 News Post

When Standards of Learning were first introduced, many of my friends and family who are or were teachers forcasted that several students would not graduate due to failing their SOLs. Some of them even retired prematurely or reigned and found another profession. Some who had intended to become a educator changed majors due to the impending SOLs.

Most feared change others felt it was unwise to "teach to a test" and some felt their creativity would be stiffled such as Jennifer Stottlor, a James Madison University student, "With No Child Left Behind, states are forced to create strict standards, leaving the teacher no leeway to be imaginative." (Free Lance Star, 3/7/2007)

However, not all is gloom and doom as reported by Rosalind S. Helderman, a staff writer for the Washington Post in the August 3, 2004 edition. According to Helderman fewer than 1% of the over 22,000 students enrolled in Northern Virginia schools actually did not receive a diploma or graduate due to failing their SOLs.

The reason for the high and perhaps to some even surprising success rate according to Keith Gaylor, a researcher with the Washington-based Center on Education Policy, is that Virginia is one of the few states that has put together a well-publicized package of statewide tutorials and seminars to help struggling students.

Regardless of you opinion on SOLs, it appears they are hear to stay and have thus far proven themselves as a much needed assessment tool.