RICHMOND, Va. (AP) – Nearly 400,000 Virginia elementary and middle school students will take shorter Standards of Learning math tests this spring. The state is expanding the use of computer-adaptive testing, which it says means shorter exams for students. The Virginia Department of Education says the computer-adaptive version of the test third graders will take this year has just 32 items. Last year, the exam third graders took had 50 items. The computer-adaptive tests this year for 7th and 8th graders each have 53 items. Last year, their traditional tests had 60 items. Gov. Terry McAuliffe says computer-adaptive tests “can reduce stress and frustration for students, teachers and parents.” Lawmakers approved the governor’s requests for $7.2 million to make all Standards of Learning math and reading exams for grades 3-8 computer adaptive by 2017.
