SOLs are a type of assessment that all public school students in the state of Virginia have to do. Two weeks ago, the students of Osbourn had a three-day period when many took their SOLs. Students had assigned classrooms, days, and times for the SOLs they had to take. Though the opinions about SOLs do vary, some students feel stressed or worried about their SOLs, even teachers have concerns about the SOLs.

Teachers work their hardest to ensure that every student passes their SOLs, whether the SOL is for algebra, English, or biology. But not all teachers think the same when it comes to whether SOLs are beneficial. Mr. Edwards, an English teacher, feels that SOLs can be beneficial for students since the tests make sure that their teachers do their jobs. But he also thinks that, because of studies proving tests like SOLs don’t always work, there might be better alternatives to SOLs. “SOLs can certainly be beneficial for students because they force their teachers to ensure that instruction is deliberate and consistent. However, standardized tests have been repeatedly found to be ineffective in academic studies. There are simply better ways to assess students than a standardized test.”

Mr. Singletary, an algebra teacher, thinks that SOLs can be beneficial depending on the student who is taking them. He also thinks that it helps teach students how to face challenges in the future. “Depends on the student! I believe the SOLs show where students might be in the learning and provide students an opportunity to perform on a high-stakes test, which is a good exercise for challenges we all face in our lives.”

Mr. Stansbery, the college and career center counselor, seems to think similarly to Mr. Edwards in terms of that the SOLs are great because they make sure students are actively learning the necessities. ” I think SOLs are beneficial because they help ensure students are learning the basics for each of the core classes.”

If you have issues remembering what you have learned, you may study to ensure you know the materials in the test so that you can achieve a better score on the SOLs. Brianna, a student, goes to Saturday learning seminars and works on questions at her house to study for SOLs and other tests. “I go to Saturday Learning Seminars and  work on some questions at home too.” Saturday Learning Seminars are a very efficient way of obtaining useful skills for the SOLs since you can ask questions and study with teachers who are willing to hear and answer all your questions!

SOLs are also a requirement for graduating from high school, meaning if you don’t pass enough of them, you will not be able to graduate. Failing a SOL can be a very stressful and annoying situation because of the stress from having to retake it. Mr. Edwards thinks that students should try their best to pass an SOL the first time, so they don’t get pushed back in their classwork. “Students should try to pass an SOL the first time because it will allow them to focus on other hurdles in their way as opposed to slowing themselves down.”

Mr. Stansbery interprets this as a form of barrier to students who are having trouble in similar tests. “They are a barrier to graduation if you don’t pass them, so that definitely can be stressful for students if they are having a bad time with the tests.”

Sometimes a student may underperform if they let their stress affect the way they pick answers, which could lead the students to just randomly pick answers, which usually results in them failing their tests. Mr. Singletary thinks that students may get stressed during the test, but he also thinks that if you can pass your test, then you can complete anything in the future that you once thought was too hard for you. “Yes, they can stress students, and it should be stressful if you care. Stress is not a bad thing unless you let it overwhelm you. Stress can be an opportunity to prove to yourself that you can overcome anything.”

Mr. Singletary also believes that if you stick to studying for the stuff you want, you will be successful and will be able to grow in the future because studying proves that you can learn and achieve something from it. “It’s important to build the habit of studying for something you want. The habit of study is a great tool for success. You won’t grow unless you learn the habit of study, especially if the study leads to something you want.”

Overall. It seems the teachers tend to believe that passing SOLs is very helpful for students. The tests teach students to study often for the goals they want and to push themselves to their limits. But a 9th grader, David, mentions that it’s the language that SOLs use that he struggles with, since English is his second language and not his first.  “The worst part of the SOLs is the language because English is my second language.”

Mr. Kaiser, a counselor, thinks that SOLs are a good way to assess students. “Yes, I find them beneficial. I think it’s important to assess students’ learning and teachers’ teaching.” But he also feels that they can limit what teachers can teach due to the limited amount of time in a year. “I think that they are a measure of student learning, but I think the tests may restrict the curriculum and creativity in the subject since teachers teach what’s on the test, but they sometimes aren’t teaching things outside of the test.”

Recently, the Virginia Department of Education made a new change regarding how SOLs will work in the future. One of those changes is that it will be a 100-point-based test as opposed to a 600-point-based test. SOL scores may also be included in final course grades when these changes go into effect.

Interestingly, most students think that history classes have SOLs, but this is not the case. Instead, all history classes take what’s called an LAA. Mr. Ruiz, a history teacher, mentions that LAAs are an alternative exam that can also provide verified credits like SOLs when or if you pass them. “LAA stands for Local Alternative Assessment. It is the VA State Assessment for students to earn their Verified Credit in Social Studies, which is needed for graduation. The LAA has taken the place of the traditional Social Studies SOL Exam.”

Mr. Ruiz thinks that LAAs can benefit students because they help them produce an argumentative essay. “When implemented appropriately, I think it is beneficial for students by helping them learn to analyze primary and secondary sources for use in an argumentative essay. The LAA also benefits students by emphasizing essay writing and critical thinking skills, which will serve students for the rest of their lives.” Additionally, Mr. Ruiz said, “It is important to study for an LAA primarily because it is needed for graduation. It is also important because it affects a student’s class grade.”

Overall, LAAs and SOLs are tests that Virginia students take. Now with the upcoming changes, it’s more important than ever to study for them and pass them on the first attempt, since they affect grades and, in some cases, can prevent you from graduating.

What do you think about the new SOL changes and the LAAs? Tell us in the comments!