Virginia Alternate Assessments
The IDEA Amendments of 1997 require states to develop an alternate assessment for students with disabilities who cannot participate in the statewide assessment program. The Virginia Alternate Assessment Program (VAAP) provides a process of collecting information about what a student with a disability knows and can do.
History of pass rates on the Alternate Assessment (The first number is the percentage of students at all grade levels who passed. The second number is the percentage of students at all grade levels who were "pass-advanced.")
| English | Math | Science | Social Studies | |
| 2003-2004 | 93% (40% advanced) | 95% (45% advanced) | 94% (38% advanced) | 95% (54% advanced) |
| 2002-2003 | 92% (44% advanced) | 94% (48% advanced) | 91% (41% advanced) | 92% (56% advanced) |
| 2001-2002 (now we figured it out) | 92% (43% advanced) | 95% (47% advanced) | 93% (38% advanced) | 92% (54% advanced) |
| 2000-2001 (first year) | 84% (19% advanced) | 88% (23% advanced) | 84% (15% advanced) | 85% (31% advanced) |
Compare the glowing pass rates on the Alternate Assessment to the pass rates on the regular SOL tests (the pass rates reflect the pass rates of all students, not just kids with disabilities).
Pass rates on SOL tests (selected tests in high school)
| 3rd grade | English | Math | Science | Social Studies |
| 2003-2004 | 71 | 87 | 86 | 87 |
| 2002-2003 | 72 | 83 | 82 | 82 |
| 2001-2002 | 72 | 80 | 78 | 76 |
| 5th grade | English | Math | Science | Social Studies |
| 2003-2004 | 85 | 78 | 84 | 86 |
| 2002-2003 | 82 | 74 | 79 | 79 |
| 2001-2002 | 78 | 71 | 76 | 72 |
| 8th grade | English | Math | Science | Social Studies |
| 2003-2004 | 72 | 78 | 88 | 83 |
| 2002-2003 | 67 | 72 | 84 | 80 |
| 2001-2002 | 69 | 71 | 85 | 78 |
| high school | English | Math (Algebra1) | Science (Earth Science) | Social Studies (Va and US) |
| 2003-2004 | 89 | 88 | 71 | 87 |
| 2002-2003 | 93 | 78 | 73 | 75 |
| 2001-2002 | 86 | 78 | 70 | 72 |