A proposal by Sen. John Miller, D-Newport News, to reduce the number of Standards of Learning tests taken by the state's third graders passed through committee Thursday and now heads to the Senate floor.
The Senate Education and Health Committee, on a vote of 11-4, passed the measure which Miller said is designed to focus on third grade reading proficiency by only requiring those students to take SOL tests in reading and math - eliminating the the third grade tests for science and social studies.
Miller said the idea comes from a recommendation the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission released last year that looked at third grade reading proficiency.
The JLARC study came from legislation proposed last session by Miller and has been cited by Gov. Bob McDonnell as part of his 2012 education agenda.
Under the proposal third graders would still be taught the SOLs for social studies and science, they would just not be tested on those subjects.
Sen. Richard Black, R-Loudon, voted "no" on the proposal and said in comments to the committee that he felt if students were taught the subjects of science and social studies they should be tested on those subjects.
A representative from the state's Department of Education said the department is neutral on the study, but said it proposed failed legislation in 2009 to do away with the social studies test.
She also said students are tested on social studies in fourth grade, but not in fifth, and science in fifth grade, but not in fourth. Even though they are not given tested in both subjects, students are still taught the grade level SOLs for social studies and science in the fourth and fifth grades.
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