Typically the Standards of Learning (SOL) test results do not come back from the state before the end of school. However, this year, the Class of 2004, today's juniors, will be required to pass certain end-of-course SOLs in order to receive a high-school diploma.
To ensure students who may have failed these classes have the opportunity to take remediation courses, and thereby retake the tests, the Fairfax County Public Schools staff is proposing early dismissals for high schools during the testing week. The additional time without students will give teachers at the schools the opportunity to review answer sheets, looking for incomplete forms, pencil smudges or any other defect that would prevent the sheets’ being scored by the computer and thereby hold up the test results.
"The initial idea was to start SOL testing earlier, but that is not possible with AP [Advanced Placement] testing," said Alan Leis, deputy superintendent.
Instead, end-of-course SOLs will be compressed into the week of May 19-23, with early dismissal, around 1:15 to 1:30 p.m. depending on the school, for students the final four days.
"This way we get the testing in before Memorial Day weekend," Leis said. "The advantage is we'll have high-school staff available for 35 to 40 minutes each day to make sure there are no problems with the answer sheets. And we've got a prayer of getting them back before school’s out."