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The Virginia Alternate Assessment Program (VAAP) is designed to evaluate the performance of students with significant cognitive disabilities in grades 3-8 and high school. The VAAP began as a portfolio-based assessment for students with significant disabilities in the 2000-2001 school year. Over the course of the next twenty-one years the VAAP and Aligned Standards of Learning (ASOL) have gone through several changes. Early versions were closely aligned to a student’s Individualized Educational Plan (IEP) goals and best practices for instruction. The United States Department of Education (USDOE) later required that the ASOL move to a more academic focus based on general education content standards that were reduced in depth, breadth, and complexity.

In February 2019, Virginia was notified by USDOE that the portfolio design of the VAAP did not meet the requirements of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). Using information gained from a peer review, the USDOE advised the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) that the VAAP would need to be redesigned or replaced. The required changes have resulted in the creation and implementation of the New VAAP. The New VAAP is designed to evaluate the performance of students with significant cognitive disabilities instructed on academic standards that have been reduced in complexity and depth to make them relevant, accessible and appropriate for students with significant cognitive disabilities. The New VAAP content is derived from the Standards of Learning (SOL) and is referred to as the Virginia Essentialized Standards of Learning (VESOL).

Beginning this school year, the portfolio-based VAAP is being replaced with a new multiple-choice assessment in the content areas of reading, mathematics, and science. Test items are based on the VESOL and will include three answer options. They will be presented online; but students may also be provided with a paper copy of the items if needed. Test items may be read to the student or the text-to-speech option may be used. On the VDOE website under the Virginia Assessment Program tab a set of ten sample items from the reading, mathematics, and science content areas across various grade levels can be used by teachers, other school staff, and parents to familiarize themselves with item formats. The sample items are not intended to be used with students but rather as a means to view the supports embedded in the sample items, the tools, available in TestNav to accompany an online presentation, and the format of the paper presentation of test items.

As stated on the VDOE website,

“Beginning in the 2021-2022 school year and for eligible elementary and middle school students participating in VAAP, school divisions will collect student work to compile collections of evidence, score the collections of evidence using the existing VAAP scoring rubric and addendum, and report student performance to parents in elementary and middle school history/social science and grade 8 writing (para. 2).” 

Additional VESOL resources have been developed and shared on TTAC Online. The VESOL instructional resources include links to resources and information on evidence-based practices and web-based instructional resources for students with significant cognitive disabilities. The VESOL Crosswalks connect the VESOL to past ASOL and ASOL sample activities, as well as current SOLs, and Applied Studies Competencies. Sample VESOL activities provide teachers with possible learning opportunities for students to actively engage with specific VESOL across grade levels and content domains.

Resources and information found on the VDOE website include:

Virginia Essentialized Standards of Learning (VESOL) Manual

• Virginia Essentialized Standards of Learning (VESOL) (PDF)

Video recordings of information shared about the new VAAP by VDOE

• The New VAAP Teacher Introductory Webinar
• VAAP Module 1 Training - VESOL Instructional and Curricular Resource

Sample test items

• VAAP Sample Items: Examiner's Copy and Student Materials (PDF)
• VAAP Sample Items: Examiner’s Copy (PDF)

Resources for Assessing History and Writing for 2021-2022

• VAAP Aligned Standards of Learning (ASOL) for History/Social Science and Writing (PDF)

Resource and information found on TTAC Online include:

VESOL Instructional Resources

Resource compilations link educators to evidence-based practices and web-based instructional resources for students with significant cognitive disabilities:

• Evidence-Based Practices for Students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities Across All Content Domains
• VESOL Literacy Instruction Resources
• VESOL Mathematics Instruction Resources
• VESOL Science Instruction Resources
• VESOL AAC and AT Resources

VESOL Crosswalks

Crosswalks link VESOL to past ASOL and ASOL sample activities, as well as current SOLs, and Applied Studies Competencies

VESOL Sample Activities

Sample activities show teachers possible learning opportunities for students to actively engage with specific VESOL across grade levels and content domains:

• 3rd grade mathematics - View Sample Activities for 3rd grade mathematics
• 5th grade science - View Sample Activities for 5th grade science
• 6th grade mathematics - View Sample Activities for 6th grade mathematics
• 7th grade reading - View Sample Activities for 7th grade reading
• High school mathematics - View Sample Activities for high school mathematics
• High school reading - View Sample Activities for high school reading
• High school science - View Sample Activities for high school science

Retired ASOL VAAP resources

Reference

Virginia Department of Education. (2021, October 6). Virginia Alternative Assessment Program. (VAAP). Virginia Department of Education. https://www.doe.virginia.gov/testing/alternative_assessments/vaap_va_alt_assessment_prog/index.shtml



For more information, contact Jackie Neidle (neidlejm@vcu.edu), Program Specialist, T/TAC at VCU.

Teachers who take an active interest during professional learning communities support their instruction and their students’ learning potential. Teacher behaviors such as consistent attendance, prompt arrival, and participation during conversations are all characteristics that effective professional communities engage in. Although many team members engage in the above-stated elements, there are still instances where members leave wondering if the information presented would support high academic achievement. Author Dave Nagel references a resource titled PLC + Framework that calls on teachers to be activators within professional learning communities. According to Nagel (2019), “activation relates to how PLC teams must have individuals on the team take on the responsibility for ensuring the learning of the adults consistently moves forward.” (para. 1) Nagel explains three characteristics of PLC activators: driving adult learning, addressing adult learning challenges, and establishing and adhering to norms.

Driving adult learning

To drive adult learning, there must be an intentional focus on the discussion on instructional delivery. Instructional delivery conversations should be hyper-focused on solving instructional dilemmas to include strategies to increase instructional delivery. According to Nagel (2019),

“Far too often collaborative teams talk about the curriculum as well as the assessments, they use to determine where students are making progress towards curricular targets but avoid the rich, meaningful conversations around the instructional element that is the conduit between the two.” (para. 3)

Addressing adult learning challenges

Addressing adult learning speaks to teacher efficacy. Activators encourage a love for learning, support peers with challenges in education, and show their commitment to education. Not all teachers will embody the characteristics of teacher efficacy, but a PLC activator is the model and provides opportunities to increase efficacy. Activators share the reality of the instructional experience, and they provide opportunities to celebrate accomplishments and address concerns related to instruction. In addressing concerns related to education, activators may choose to share examples of student data, engage teachers in problem-solving conversations, and provide guidance on instructional strategies.

Establish and adhere to TRUE norms

Many teams create and adhere to their attendance, timeliness, and interactions with other team members. These norms are essential to the cohesion of groups, but they are not limited to those stated. According to Nagel (2019), teams should focus on process and operating norms.

“Operating norms are the non-negotiable behaviors for ALL adults for ALL PLC+/ collaborative meetings. These are what many are familiar with when we think of norms, but activators ensure a layer of specificity to expected adult behaviors. Some examples:

1. All members come prepared having read or completed agreed-upon tasks.
2. Notetaker sends agenda to the team at least 24-hours prior to meeting.”

According to Nagel (2019), process norms help teams make the most of their discussions around clarity, assessment, instruction, and equity. Examples of process norms are:

1. We look for evidence of our committed instructional actions to determine our impact.
2. We do not assume universal understanding of instructional strategies. Therefore, we always describe how instructional strategies look in classroom practice.

The information presented regarding Professional Learning Communities is indeed a call to action for all educators. Please share the blog post resource below with teams and others who are looking to increase the potential of their professional learning communities.

Reference

Nagel, D. (2019, October 1). Three reasons activators are crucial for your PLC success. 

Corwin Connect. https://corwin-connect.com/2021/10/three-reasonshttps://corwin-connect

.com/2021/10/three-reasons-activators-are-crucial-for-your-plc-success/

For more information, contact Amber Butler (butleram2@vcu.edu), Program Specialist, T/TAC at VCU.