Introduction

Introduction

Curriculum alignment is perhaps the most important step a school can take to improve performance on Virginia Standard of Learning (SOL) assessments. When the SOL first surfaced in 1995 and were subsequently tested in 1998, teachers had no idea what content would be measured on the tests. As a result, even in classrooms where teachers did focus on the SOL, scores were generally low. Several school divisions, and the VA Department of Education (VADOE), did what was called “unpacking” the SOL. Next, the Department of Education published Teacher Resource Guides which have evolved into Curriculum Frameworks for English, Science, Mathematics, and History and Social Science.

From 2000 on, scores on SOL scores improved dramatically in most content areas as first the Teacher Resource Guides and then the Standards of Learning Sample Scope and Sequence Guides for English, Science, Mathematics, and History and Social Science, came on-line.

As this is written, it is now recognized that aligning curriculum with these guides is perhaps the most important step to take for improving SOL achievement. It is absolutely essential that a principal know how to use these guides to align local curricula and to guide teacher lesson planning and that every teacher who teaches one of the four core subjects teaches the essential knowledge and skills in the SOL.

This webquest will help a principal determine if lesson plans are aligned and then will lead the principal through the process of alignment by focussing on a typical lesson plan and providing information and resources that will help improve the plan. You might think about using this webquest with individual teachers or with your faculty as a whole in a teachers' meeting or in a staff development activity.

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