Participation & Inclusion
All students in tested grade levels and courses are expected to participate in Virginia’s assessment program, unless specifically exempted by state or federal law or by Board of Education regulations. Virginia’s assessment system includes students with disabilities and students who are English Learners (ELs). Students with disabilities and ELs may take Standards of Learning tests with or without accommodations or they may be assessed through the alternate assessment. The tests that comprise the Virginia Assessment Program are offered in English only; administration of the tests in other languages is not permitted.
VDOE offers the following guidance regarding the assessment of students with disabilities and/or ELs:
- Participation in the Virginia Assessment Program: A Resource for Educators and Parents of Students with Disabilities (PDF) – Provides the state assessment options available to students with disabilities and information about the roles and responsibilities of Individualized Education Program (IEP) teams and 504 committees in making assessment determinations.
- Testing Accommodations for Students with Disabilities: Growth Assessments and Standards of Learning Tests (PDF) – Provides information on a four-step process for selecting and using test accommodations and a description of test accommodations currently permitted on state assessments.
- Special Assessment Accommodation Request – The Special Assessment Accommodation Request form is used by Division Directors of Testing to request special assessment accommodations that individual students with disabilities may require to access the Standards of Learning assessments. The first document below provides the deadlines and directions for submission. The second document below is the fillable form which must be submitted to VDOE.
- Procedures for Determining English Learner Participation in the Virginia Assessment Program (Word)
- Procedures for the Read-Aloud Accommodation: Growth Assessments and Standards of Learning (SOL) Tests (Word)
- Explanation of Testing Accommodations for Students with Disabilities – Math Aids – Accommodation Code 19 (Word) – Updated January 27, 2020
- Explanation of Testing Accommodations for Students with Disabilities – Assistive Technology Accommodations (PDF) – effective beginning fall 2017
- Procedures for the Calculator Accommodation: Growth Assessments and Standards of Learning (SOL) Tests (Word)
- Calculator Accommodation Criteria Form (Word) - Updated August 2, 2023
- FAQ: Special Education and Desmos (Word) – The document addresses frequently asked questions concerning the implementation of Desmos and Special Education.
- Procedures for Using Web Extensions in TestNav as a Virginia Standards of Learning (SOL) Online Test Accommodation (Word) - updated March 18, 2024 - These procedures will assist divisions in determining how specific web extensions may be used by students with disabilities for online SOL testing. These web extensions allow students who are eligible for speech-to-text and/or word prediction accommodations to access speech-to-text and word prediction applications while in TestNav.
- 2023-2024 Health Management Device Form (Word) – This form must be completed for each student with a documented health need who requires the use of a health management device (e.g., continuous glucose monitor, seizure monitor, etc.) during the administration of a state assessment.
- 2023-2024 Hearing Aids with Internet-Connected Device Form (Word) – Complete this form for any student who requires the use of hearing aids with an Internet-connected device (e.g., cell phone, tablet) during the administration of a state assessment.
Frequently Asked Questions
The FAQ: Special Education and Desmos (Word) document addresses frequently asked questions concerning the implementation of Desmos and Special Education.