March 14, 2009 – Parents and guardians of public school students in grades 2-11 are reminded that the VITAL (Virgin Islands Territorial Assessment of Learning) will be administered on Monday, March 16 through Friday, March 20, according to a press release from the Department of Education.
"The administration of the VITAL-S and VITAL-A will commence this coming Monday for students in grades 2 through 11, inclusive of English language learners and students with disabilities," said Commissioner of Education Dr. LaVerne Terry. "These tests have been designed to determine our students' academic knowledge and capabilities. The results of these tests will be used to calculate the Adequate Yearly Progress or AYP of these students and their respective schools.
"Since the beginning of the school year, teachers and school administrators have been working to ensure that student performance indicates solid improvement and subsequently enables all schools in the district to attain AYP. Within recent weeks the efforts were stepped up to include parents in the process and alert them of their responsibilities toward ensuring that students attend school regularly and are present for the entire battery of testing," she said.
"The information gathered from the test results will assist the department in terms of improving instructional programs for children that increase their achievement levels and provide professional development for educators. We are further asking that you ensure that your children receive adequate rest and a healthy and balanced breakfast each day and arrive at least one half hour prior to the start of the school day," said Terry.
