Ask our Legislators to Vote YES on Bill HB199 to allow for a better period of Student Assessment

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Write to
Delegate Elizabeth Guzman
Delegate Briana Sewell
Delegate Kelly Convirs-Fowler
Delegate Alex Askew
Delegate Nadarius Clark
Delegate Rae Cousins
Delegate Atoosa Reaser
Delegate Amy Laufer
Delegate Destiny LeVere Bolling
Delegate Jessica Anderson
Delegate Lindsey Dougherty
Delegate Mike Cherry
Delegate Anne Ferrell Tata
Delegate Phillip Scott
Delegate Tom Garrett
Delegate Delores McQuinn
Vice Chair Shelly Simonds
Delegate Hillary Pugh Kent
Delegate Madison Whittle
Delegate Eric Zehr
Chair Sam Rasoul

Your Letter

Please vote YES on HB199.  The Virginia Department of Education recently revised its system for evaluating the performance of public schools, but the revision was widely criticized for increasing inequities and bias in schools and for ignoring feedback from the public.  Before it is formally implemented, this new system needs improvement to ensure it will achieve fair, transparent, and actionable results that will improve student growth and learning outcomes across the Commonwealth.

To ensure that the new plan will be fair, transparent, and effective at improving student growth and learning outcomes statewide, and that it does not increase inequities in our public schools, we must extend the formal period of assessment  from the 2025-2026 school year to the 2027-2028 school year, as is allowed as an alternative established by the Board of Education. Under current law, the Board of Education is required to permit school boards to administer such assessments during the 2024-2025 through 2027-2028 school years.

Criticisms of the revised plan include that it will bias scores by requiring that standardized test scores from early English Language learners be considered in each school’s accountability calculations, even before those students can understand the English language. Previously, standardized test scores from early English learners were excluded because some children may need more time to become proficient in the English language.  In addition, the process of developing this revision was widely criticized for ignoring feedback from parents, education specialists, and members of  academic organizations.

This bill requires that school boards administer the formal assessments starting in the 2027- 2028 school year. This timing will allow the opportunity to address public feedback and allow school districts to better prepare at-risk students for the test.

Please vote YES on HB199.

Ask our Legislators to Vote YES on Bill HB199 to allow for a better period of Student Assessment

Write to

Delegate Elizabeth Guzman

Delegate Briana Sewell

Delegate Kelly Convirs-Fowler

Delegate Alex Askew

Delegate Nadarius Clark

Delegate Rae Cousins

Delegate Atoosa Reaser

Delegate Amy Laufer

Delegate Destiny LeVere Bolling

Delegate Jessica Anderson

Delegate Lindsey Dougherty

Delegate Mike Cherry

Delegate Anne Ferrell Tata

Delegate Phillip Scott

Delegate Tom Garrett

Delegate Delores McQuinn

Vice Chair Shelly Simonds

Delegate Hillary Pugh Kent

Delegate Madison Whittle

Delegate Eric Zehr

Chair Sam Rasoul

Your Letter