| Fierce battles are being waged across our country concerning the educational issues of standards, accountability, and high stakes testing. In Virginia, state reform efforts evidenced by the SOL, mirror these national reform efforts and include high stakes consequences for both students and schools. Disappointedly absent from these current educational reform efforts is a systematic concerted effort to solicit parents' perceptions concerning the SOL.; The purpose of the study was threefold. First, to determine parent perceptions concerning various aspects of the Virginia Standards of Learning (SOL). Second, to determine if differences in parent perceptions are related to ethnicity, geographic location, level of respondent education, school accreditation status, and the school level of the respondent's child. And Third, to determine parent perceptions concerning what they wish to communicate to the Virginia Department of Education and local school officials concerning the SOL.; The sample included parents whose children attended a central Virginia school division. A survey instrument consisting of twenty items was used to collect data that included a Likert scale, multiple response, and open-ended question formats.; The majority of parents disagreed with the statements that SOL tests are an accurate measure of their children's achievement, measure what children should know, and are a good appraisal of teacher effectiveness. Most parents also perceived that multiple criteria, including SOL tests scores, should be used to determine eligibility for a high school diploma.; Significant differences in parent perceptions concerning the SOL were found among parents with differing levels of education, level of school accreditation, school attendance zone, and ethnicity. No significant differences in response were found among survey responses of parents with children from differing school levels (elementary school, high school).; Parents communicated a number of concerns regarding the negative impact of the SOL on students, teachers, and parents. The most prominent of these concerns was the level of anxiety, which the SOL caused their children.; Results of the study should be helpful in addressing community concerns about the SOL. Recommendations for action and future research are offered to state and local stakeholders. |
