Are the SOL tests necessary?

Rachel Baker

Senior Tamani Omar reviews for her SOLs during her after school hours.

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Haumaira Safi, Staff Writer
March 23, 2010
Filed under Academics

It is R1 flex and social studies teacher Jonathan York passes out packets of SOL review to his class. Many of the students groan, but they all begin to work on the packet anyway. Multiple questions, several of which derive from the material that they learned all the way in September, arise. Moments like these are when students realize they should have paid attention in class since the school year began.

“I review all year long. I ask review questions on quizzes and tests all the time, and during flex I do SOL review,” said York.

That is how SOLs are. Once it’s time to take the test, students either know it or they do not. Not to mention that many SOLs inconveniently take place around the same time as final exams, the SAT, and various SAT subject tests. Thus, are SOLs really necessary?

“We do need to have a test to see if students are meeting the minimum requirements. But SOLs are like Trivial Pursuit, there’s way too much information that we have to cover. The big thing is there’s no testing of the skills,” added York.

Students seem to think that the SOLs can be a bit futile. “I think it’s kind of pointless because schools have different ways of teaching,” said sophomore Eliana Sejas.

“They’re whack. I think they’re kind of pointless,” agreed junior Kelvin Galos.

Whether students think they are “whack” or “pointless”, numerous classes require their students to take their SOLs at the end of the year. Since the SOLs are inevitable, they might as well try to prepare as best as they can. In addition to reviewing the class material, students are encouraged to sleep well and to eat a healthy breakfast on the morning of the test. “I try to get some sleep, maybe even eat breakfast,” said Galos.

Galos added that once he’s finished with his SOLs, “I feel relieved that it’s over.”

Regardless the level of difficulty of the SOL varying from one person to another, students indeed have many class resources and review websites that will help them prepare for these end-of-the-year tests.