SCIENCE BLAB
ELEMENTARY
Changes to the Standards of Learning Assessment Program
The Virginia Department of Education is implementing numerous changes to the state assessment program in the 2014-2015 school year. Some changes are enhancements to the assessment program; others represent cost-saving measures that became necessary due to funding constraints. Please read the Superintendent’s Memo #282-14 for details. Changes to the Standards of Learning Assessment Program
FY15 B-WET Grant Availability Announced
Approximately $2.7 million may be available for schools, school systems, higher education institutions, community-based and nonprofit organizations, state or local government agencies, interstate agencies, and Indian tribal governments seeking to support education of the next generation of Chesapeake Bay stewards. The NOAA Chesapeake Bay Office has released details on requirements and the process for applying for FY15 Bay Watershed Education and Training (B-WET)grants; applications are due by January 14, 2015.
B-WET supports programs that provide hands-on environmental education about issues affecting the Chesapeake Bay watershed for students and related professional development for educators who serve formal K-12 audiences.
Proposals for FY15 funding must address at least one of several target priorities:
§ Systemic MWEE Implementation: These programs will strive to reach the entire student and teacher population in one or more grades in an entire school system or recognized sub-unit of a school system with meaningful watershed educational experiences—“MWEEs.”
§ MWEE Capacity Building: These projects will build the capacity of agencies and organizations to develop, deliver, and sustain projects that advance the MWEE at the state or regional level.
§ Emerging Projects: In order to cultivate projects and partners not traditionally served by B-WET, NOAA encourages new applicants, or those who have not received B-WET funding in the last five fiscal years (FY10-14), to apply as Emerging Projects.
NAEP Question Tool
The NAEP Questions Tool (NQT) provides access to over 3,000 released questions from NAEP assessments in all NAEP subject areas. You can see examples of students’ actual answers to constructed-response questions, with scorer comments. You can also see the percentage of students nationwide who answered each question correctly, and how students’ performance on a given question corresponds to their overall scores.
You can bookmark question for later use, and use them to supplement classroom instruction.
For information about using the NQT:
- Watch the short video showing the features of NQT and how to use them
- Get more details from the tutorial and the Quick Reference Guide (553 KB)
- Investigate the “What can I do here?” link and the Help button that are on every page of the NQT.
Release of Spring 2014 SOL Tests
Information regarding the release of items from the Spring 2014 SOL tests is provided in Superintendent’s Memo No. 274-14. There will be a set of test items released from the 2014 end-of-course mathematics, end-of-course science (Earth Science, Biology, and Chemistry), Grade 5 science, Grade 8 science, grade 8 reading, and grade 8 writing tests as the bank cannot support a full release of these test forms. If you have questions, please contact the student assessment staff by e-mail at Student_Assessment@doe.virginia.gov or by phone at (804) 225-2102.
Smithsonian Science How
In partnership with the Smithsonian Institute, the Virginia Museum of Natural History has an exciting opportunity for middle school students! The Museum would like to invite you to register for one of oits FREE upcoming Smithsonian Science How live, interactive webcasts. Each webcast aligns with the Virginia Science Standards of Learning and focuses on connecting students to scientists, increasing students’ understanding of science, and inspiring students about STEM education and careers.
Registering is easy. Simply contact discover@vmnh.virginia.gov or call (276) 634-4185. For more information on Smithsonian Science How and each of the webcasts, and to access classroom activities, lessons, readings and other related resources, visit the VMNH web page at: http://www.vmnh.net/smithsonian-science-how .
Below is listed the next two webcasts. The Museum looks forward to working with you and your students!
Schedule of Webcasts:
Thursday, Nov. 6, 2014 11am and 2pm EST
Island Biodiversity: Tracking Human Influences with Archaeologist Torben Rick, Life Science, Social Studies
Thursday, Dec. 11, 2014 11am and 2pm EST
Bird Extinctions: Time Travel through Lava Tubes with Ornithologist Helen James, Life Science, Earth Science
Children’s Environmental Health and Disease Prevention Research Centers Grants (P50)
This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) encourages grant applications to support a transdisciplinary program of basic and applied research to examine the effects of environmental factors on children’s health and well-being.
Several awards of up to $1.5 million will be granted to select applicants. Nonprofit organizations, government organizations, institutions of higher education, and independent school districts are eligible to apply.
Letter of Intent: Due November 22, 2014
Deadline: December 22, 2014
Please contact the National Institutes of Health for more information and to apply for this funding:http://www.grants.gov/custom/viewOppDetails.jsp?oppId=267508
Additional information at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-ES-14-002.html
Announcing the 2015 Children’s Engineering Convention
The Virginia Department of Education in collaboration with the Virginia Children’s Engineering Council and the Virginia Technology and Engineering Education Association are co-sponsoring the Children’s Engineering Convention for grades K-5 teachers and administrators. The convention will be held at the DoubleTree by Hilton, 50 Kingsmill Road, Williamsburg, Virginia, February 19-20, 2015.
The Children’s Engineering Convention special interest sessions will highlight best practices and classroom strategies that support the Virginia Standards of Learning through hands-on design, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills. These instructional experiences will assist participants in preparing children to:
- Explore how people create, use, and control technology;
- Apply knowledge in mathematics, science, English, and history and social sciences in solving problems associated with technology; and
- Use tools and materials to develop technological literacy and self-confidence.
You may access the convention overview here and register today.
If you have questions or need additional information, please contact Dr. Lynn Basham, technology education and related clusters specialist, Office of Career and Technical Education Services, at (804) 786-4210 or lynn.basham@doe.virginia.gov, or Sarah Downer, Conference Registrar (540) 231-0990, sldowner@vt.edu, or Jeneen Preston, Conference Registrar
(540) 231-6002, pjeneen7@vt.edu or Marcia Hickey, Convention Coordinator, at mdhickey@comcast.net
Updated Process and Nomination Form for Additional Substitute Tests for Verified Credit for Standards of Learning (SOL) Tests
The Standards for Accrediting Public Schools at 8VAC20-131-110 permit the Virginia Board of Education to approve “substitute” tests for the purpose of awarding verified credit. The approved tests must meet the following criteria:
- The test must be standardized and graded independently of the school or school division in which the test is given;
- The test must be knowledge based;
- The test must be administered on a multistate or international basis, or administered as part of another state's accountability assessment program; and
- To be counted in a specific academic area, the test must measure content that incorporates or exceeds the SOL content in the course for which verified credit is given.
The Board will set the score that must be achieved to earn a verified unit of credit on the additional test options.
The Department of Education accepts nominations from school divisions for tests to substitute for the SOL end-of-course tests. Such nominations will be made by the division superintendent to the Superintendent of Public Instruction. The purpose of this memo is to update the process for approval and the nomination form that were originally announced inSuperintendent’s Memo No. 73, May 11, 2001.
An updated nomination form for substitute tests for verified credit(s) is attached. Please send completed nomination forms with any additional documentation annually by February 15 via e-mail to studentassessment@doe.virginia.gov. School divisions may submit nominations past the deadline if extenuating circumstances so demand.
Timeline for Approval: The Department will review and recommend substitute tests for verified credit(s) on an annual basis. Nominations received annually by February 15 will be presented to the Board of Education for approval prior to the following school year.
Process for Approval: The process of approving tests nominated as substitutes shall be as follows:
- Review by the Division of Instruction. The purpose of this review is to determine the degree to which the content basis of the nominated test matches the SOL test for which it is nominated as a substitute. The criteria outlined in the Standards of Accreditation will also be applied. Substitute tests determined to have a moderate or high correlation will continue through the approval process.
- Review by the Division of Assessment and School Improvement Related to Technical Qualities. The Division of Assessment and School Improvement will review the tests forwarded from the Division of Instruction with regard to the technical aspects of the tests’ construction. Typical guidelines for test development will be used in this review. Tests deemed to have sufficient technical merit will move forward in the approval process.
- Establishing Score Points for Pass/Proficient and Advanced/Proficient or Advanced/College Path (where applicable). The Division of Student Assessment and School Improvement will convene teacher committees that will be tasked with the responsibility of reviewing the proposed substitute tests and recommending the score points that will be used to establish the Pass/Proficient and Pass/Advanced Proficient or Advanced/College Path (where applicable) ratings for verified credit(s).
- Review and Approval by the Virginia Board of Education. Division of Student Assessment and School Improvement will forward the recommendations of the teacher committees with accompanying background materials to the Board of Education.
- Communications to the School Divisions. Upon the action of the Board of Education, the Department of Education will convey, via a Superintendent’s Memo, to the local school divisions, the availability of additional substitute tests.