Social Studies

• Students in Grade 4 are administered the Virginia Studies SOL.
• Students in Grade 7 are administered the Civics and Economics SOL.
• SOL tests are untimed and consist of multiple choice questions
• Blueprints for these SOL tests can be found on the VDOE website.

Students participate in local alternative assessments, including authentic or performance assessments. Performance Based Assessments (PBAs) measure subject-matter proficiency and require students to apply the content and skills they have learned to an authentic task.  PBAs present opportunities for students to demonstrate acquisition of the “Five C’s” – critical thinking, creativity, communication, collaboration and citizenship. To learn more about the “Five C’s”, visit Virginia Department of Educations Profile of a Graduate.

Types of Social Studies Performance Assessments

• VDOE Performance Assessments
  • Developed for courses where students can earn a Locally Awarded Verified Credit (LAVC), which includes World Geography, World History II, World History I and VA/US History.
  • Students create written responses to a compelling question using primary and secondary sources.
  • Occurs 3-4 times a year.
  • The skills and content knowledge are assessed using a VDOE grade banded rubric.
• APS Developed Performance Assessments
  • 28 PBAs have been developed throughout grades K-12.
  • Students create written responses to a compelling question using primary and secondary sources.
  • Students engage in APS common performance based assessments one to four times a year.
  • The skills and content knowledge are assessed using a VDOE grade banded rubric.

The Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) adopted grade-banded rubrics for performance assessment tasks to provide a clear, consistent, and developmentally appropriate framework for evaluating student performance. The use of grade-banded rubrics were developed with the following in mind:

• Aligns with expectations with students’ cognitive development.
• Provides a consistent assessment framework across grade ranges.
• Highlights skill progression from basic to advanced.
• Allows for tailored instruction to meet student needs.
• Promotes equitable access across diverse classrooms

Grade-banded rubrics can be viewed on the VDOE website.

Scores on the VDOE grade-banded rubrics range between 0 and 4. Students may also receive NS for Not Submitted or NT for Not Taken.

In APS, teachers use labels on student report cards, rather than numbers. These labels include Extending the Standard, Meeting the Standard, Approaching the Standard, and Developing the Standard.

Specific questions about student performance and student scores on the grade-banded rubrics should be directed to your student’s classroom teacher.

Traditionally, students earned the verified credit by passing the multiple choice SOL exam at the conclusion of the course. Beginning in the 2022-23 school year, students taking History/Social Studies will earn their verified credit through a locally awarded verified credit process that includes instruction and assessment in the content and skills of the course.

In order to earn the locally awarded verified credit, students must:

1. Not previously have earned a verified credit in Social Studies
2. Be currently enrolled in the course for which they are seeking verified credit
3. Pass the course
4. Participate in a VDOE developed performance-based assessment in a majority of the eras or categories for the course
   • World History II: VDOE developed assessments required in two out of three eras.
   • World Geography, Word History I, Virginia/US History: VDOE developed assessments required in three out of four eras.
5. Participate in teacher created/selected assessments that cover the content and skills not covered by the VDOE developed performance-based assessments.

Students may pass the course and earn a standard credit for the course without earning a verified credit.  This would happen if the student does not engage in the required number of VDOE developed performance-based assessments.  It is important that students attend class and submit responses to the required assessments at the time that they are administered.

Arlington has a unique history relative to the history of the nation and the world.  The Social Studies Office has worked in partnership with others to bring this history to life for our students.  Some of these initiatives include the following:

• A is for Arlington – This ABC book, authored by Arlington Public School teachers Jennifer Burgin and Elizabeth Kuleski, highlights important events and landmarks in our county.  Used in elementary schools, this book aligns with the VDOE social studies standards which focus on the local community. Copies of the print book can be ordered through the APS Social Studies Office.
• Through the Doors of Stratford– In partnership with George Mason University’s Center for New Media Literacy, a series of online modules designed for secondary students uses the landmark integration of Arlington Public Schools in February 1959 as a foundation for studying the Civil Rights Movement.
• Arlington Historical Marker Videos – Featuring a variety of APS staff and community leaders, these short videos highlight some of the numerous historical markers located throughout the county.

Links to Other Local History Resources

• Arlington Historical Society
• Arlington Public Library Center for Local History