Beginning in September 2021, State legislation required the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) to implement new growth assessments, the Virginia Growth Assessment (VGA), for grades 3-8 in reading and math. Starting in 2022-23, students in grades 3-8 take the VGA in fall and winter. Middle school students enrolled in Algebra I, Geometry, or Algebra II do not participate in the mathematics VGA.
The purpose of these assessments is to measure student growth and progress in reading and mathematics content standards. For the Fall 2023 administration, students in grades 4 – 8 are assessed on content from the previous grade level. Students in grade 3 are assessed on current grade level standards, and they are not expected to demonstrated knowledge of standards not yet taught. There is no “passing” or “failing” outcome for the VGA.
Results will:
- provide a starting point to measure growth and will offer information about areas of strength and areas for growth in reading and mathematics.
- be used to help school staff plan for instruction and academic supports.
The following resources will guide you in understanding your student’s Virginia Growth Assessment reports.
VDOE Overview of the Student Detail By Question (SDBQ) Report
This document provides a general overview of the Student Detail by Question (SDBQ) Report. This report shows the SOL strands that students were tested on and whether they answered the test item correctly. Additionally, the level of difficulty (H=high difficulty, M=medium difficulty, L=low difficulty) of the test item is identified.
VDOE Standards of Learning (SOL) SDBQ Overview (YouTube)
This is a short video that explains the information contained in a student’s SDBQ Report.
Vertical Scaled Scores: Fall/Winter 2023-2024 Growth Assessments for Grades 3-8 Reading & Mathematics – UPDATED
The vertical scored represents where a student’s score lies when compared to all other Virginia students in the same grade who participated in the growth assessment. VDOE has selected quartile ranges to provide this comparative feedback. VDOE emphasizes the standard level information should be the primary focus for parents, guardians, students, and teachers over the vertical scaled scored.
VDOE Parent & Caregiver Resources for Growth Assessments
This is a newly developed webpage on the VDOE website to provide parents and caregivers with assessment and instruction resources related to the Growth Assessments.