How are families informed about VALLSS testing?
Families receive a notification of VALLSS testing as part of the annual academic screening, growth, and diagnostic tests notification letter for middle school or high school.
Virginia Language and Literacy Screening System (VALLSS) Information
VALLSS assessments provide information on student needs in reading
VALLSS gives teachers information about strengths and needs in students’ basic language and literacy skills. Gaps in basic skills are the root of many later learning difficulties. Early detection and intervention in these gaps can help students reach their potential.
VALLSS provides a first look at areas in which students may need extra support. Teachers may collect more information using diagnostic assessments. When used with VALLSS results, information from diagnostic tests helps teachers plan targeted instruction or intervention in areas of need.
- Testing notifications are available with additional information about Academic Screening, Growth, and Diagnostic Tests in FCPS
- Further information is also available for any students who took part in additional diagnostic assessments.
VALLSS Testing Expectations
The VALLSS is used as an academic screener at specific grade levels in FCPS to meet state requirements under the Virginia Literacy Act (VLA).
- Grade PreK - VALLSS is required for all students in fall and spring. Winter testing is recommended for students whose fall score showed need in certain literacy skills.
- Grades K-2 - VALLSS is required for all students in fall, winter, and spring
- Grade 3 - VALLSS is required in fall for students new to Virginia public schools and students scoring below the 15th percentile on their iReady Reading test. Students whose fall VALLSS showed a need for support will take the VALLSS again in winter and spring.
Test Facts: VALLSS Tested Content
The VALLSS assessment at each grade tests students' development of specific foundational literacy skills
Alphabet Knowledge
Children’s understanding of the alphabetic code is measured through Letter Names, in which children identify the names of printed letters, and Letter Sounds, in which children identify the sounds of printed letters.
Phonological Awareness
Phonological awareness is measured through a series of subtests: Syllable Segmenting, in which children divide words into syllables; Beginning Sounds Matching, in which children pair two words beginning with the same sound; Beginning Sounds Expressive, in which children provide the beginning sound of a word; and Phoneme Blending, in which children blend series of individual sounds into whole words.
Language: Passage Comprehension
Passage comprehension is assessed by three subtests relating to the same passage. First, for Passage Retell, a child is read a passage aloud and then retells the passage using the same set of illustrations. Passage Retell is scored on the child’s ability to include story elements and use rich vocabulary and syntax. Passage Retell may reveal a child’s ability to use extended amounts of language to recall details and to organize information. Second, for Expressive Comprehension Questions, children give an oral response to questions about the passage. Third, for Receptive Comprehension Questions, children are presented with four pictures depicting scenes from the passage. They point to the picture that corresponds with a given statement about the passage.
Name Writing
For Name Writing, children write their name on a blank sheet of paper. This writing sample is then scored according to a rubric.
Print Concepts
For Print Concepts, children show the examiner how to turn pages and how a reader should follow words across a page, in addition to other ways that individuals would interact with print.
Code-based Subtests
Alphabet Knowledge: Students’ understanding of the alphabetic code is measured through Letter Names, in which children identify the names of printed letters, and Letter Sounds, in which students identify the sounds of printed letters. Both upper- and lowercase letters appear in the alphabet knowledge subtests.
Phonological Awareness: Students’ phonological awareness abilities are measured through a series of subtests: Beginning Sounds Expressive, in which children provide the beginning sound of a word; Phoneme Blending, in which children blend series of individual sounds into whole words; and Phoneme Segmenting, in which students divide words into individual phonemes (or sounds).
Decoding: Students’ decoding ability is measured through two subtests, Real Word Decoding, in which the students are asked to read real, decodable words from a list, and Pseudoword Decoding, in which students are asked to read pretend words which still follow typical decodable spelling patterns.
Encoding: Students’ encoding ability is measured through the Encoding subtest, which is a group administered assessment, in which students are asked to spell words that are read aloud.
Language Subtests
Passage Comprehension: Passage comprehension is assessed by two subtests utilizing the same passage. First, for Passage Retell, an optional subtest, a student is read a passage aloud and then retells the passage using the same set of illustrations. Passage Retell is scored on the student’s ability to include story elements and use rich vocabulary and syntax. Second, on the Expressive Comprehension Questions, students give an oral response to questions about the passage.
Nonsense Sentences: For Nonsense Sentences, students repeat sentences varying in both length and grammatical complexity.
Vocabulary: Vocabulary is assessed through two subtests. For Relational Vocabulary, a student views a grid of four pictures and is asked to point to the picture that matches the verbal label, which includes a relational word. Relational words are terms that can only be understood in reference to another concept or object such as alongside, throughout, equal, and different. During the Vocabulary Fluency subtest, students are asked to accurately name as many images of objects as quickly as possible in one minute.
Processing Subtest
Rapid Automatized Naming (RAN): For RAN Letters, students name the letters they see on the page as quickly as possible. This is a measure of students’ processing speed. Examiners record the number of letters the student can correctly label in the array of 50 within one minute.
Code-based Subtests
Alphabet Knowledge: Students’ understanding of the alphabetic code is measured through Letter Sounds, in which students identify the sounds of printed letters. Both upper- and lowercase letters appear in the subtest.
Phonological Awareness: Students’ phonological awareness abilities are measured through Phoneme Segmenting, in which students divide words into individual phonemes (or sounds).
Decoding: Students’ decoding ability is measured through two subtests, Real Word Decoding, in which the students are asked to read real, decodable words from a list, and Pseudoword Decoding, in which students are asked to read pretend words which still follow typical decodable spelling patterns.
Encoding: Students’ encoding ability is measured through the Encoding subtest, which is a group administered assessment, in which students are asked to spell words that are read aloud.
Reading Fluency: Students’ reading fluency is measured through the Oral Reading Fluency (ORF) subtest, in which students read a passage aloud for one minute. While the student reads the passage, the assessor documents the words that are skipped or read incorrectly, resulting in the correct number of words read per minute.
Language Subtests
Passage Comprehension: Passage comprehension is assessed by two subtests utilizing the same passage. First, for Passage Retell, a student is read a passage aloud and then retells the passage using the same set of illustrations. Passage Retell is scored on the student’s ability to include story elements and use rich vocabulary and syntax. Second, on the Expressive Comprehension Questions, students give an oral response to questions about the passage.
Nonsense Sentences: For Nonsense Sentences, students repeat sentences varying in both length and grammatical complexity.
Vocabulary: Vocabulary is assessed through the Vocabulary Fluency subtest, in which students are asked to accurately name as many images as quickly as possible in one minute.
Processing Subtest
Rapid Automatized Naming (RAN): For RAN Letters, students name the letters they see on the page as quickly as possible. This is a measure of a students’ processing speed. Examiners record the number of letters the student can correctly label in the array of 50 letters within one minute.
Code-based Subtests
Phonological Awareness: Students’ phonological awareness abilities are measured through Phoneme Segmenting, in which students divide words into individual phonemes (or sounds).
Decoding: Students’ decoding ability is measured through two subtests, Real Word Decoding, in which the students are asked to read real, decodable words from a list, and Pseudoword Decoding, in which students are asked to read pretend words which still follow typical decodable spelling patterns.
Encoding: Students’ encoding ability is measured through the Encoding subtest, which is a group administered assessment, in which students are asked to spell words that are read aloud.
Reading Fluency: Students’ reading fluency is measured through the Oral Reading Fluency (ORF) subtest, in which students read a passage aloud for one minute. While the student reads the passage, the assessor documents the words that are skipped or read incorrectly, resulting in the correct number of words read per minute.
Language Subtests
Passage Comprehension: Passage comprehension is assessed by two subtests utilizing the same passage. First, for Passage Retell, a student is read a passage aloud and then retells the passage using the same set of illustrations. Passage Retell is scored on the student’s ability to include story elements and use rich vocabulary and syntax. Second, on the Expressive Comprehension Questions, students give an oral response to questions about the passage.
Nonsense Sentences: For Nonsense Sentences, students repeat sentences varying in both length and grammatical complexity.
Vocabulary: Vocabulary is assessed through the Vocabulary Fluency subtest, in which students are asked to accurately name as many images as quickly as possible in one minute.
Processing Subtest
Rapid Automatized Naming (RAN): For RAN Letters, students name the letters they see on the page as quickly as possible. This is a measure of a students’ processing speed. Examiners record the number of letters the student can correctly label in the array of 50 letters within one minute.
Code-based Subtests
Phonological Awareness: Students’ phonological awareness abilities are measured through Phoneme Segmenting, in which students divide words into individual phonemes (or sounds).
Decoding: Students’ decoding ability is measured through two subtests, Real Word Decoding, in which the students are asked to read real, decodable words from a list, and Pseudoword Decoding, in which students are asked to read pretend words which still follow typical decodable spelling patterns.
Encoding: Students’ encoding ability is measured through the Encoding subtest, which is a group administered assessment, in which students are asked to spell words that are read aloud.
Reading Fluency: Students’ reading fluency is measured through the Oral Reading Fluency (ORF) subtest, in which students read a passage aloud for one minute. While the student reads the passage, the assessor documents the words that are skipped or read incorrectly, resulting in the correct number of words read per minute.
Language Subtests
Passage Comprehension: Passage comprehension is assessed by two subtests utilizing the same passage. First, for Passage Retell, a student is read a passage aloud and then retells the passage using the same set of illustrations. Passage Retell is scored on the student’s ability to include story elements and use rich vocabulary and syntax. Second, on the Expressive Comprehension Questions, students give an oral response to questions about the passage.
Nonsense Sentences: For Nonsense Sentences, students repeat sentences varying in both length and grammatical complexity.
Vocabulary: Vocabulary is assessed through the Vocabulary Fluency subtest, in which students are asked to accurately name as many images as quickly as possible in one minute.
Processing Subtest
Rapid Automatized Naming (RAN): For RAN Letters, students name the letters they see on the page as quickly as possible. This is a measure of a students’ processing speed. Examiners record the number of letters the student can correctly label in the array of 50 letters within one minute.
VALLSS Score Reports for Families
Family reports for the VALLSS assesments are in development for this year. Information on the family reports will be updated when it is available.
After each VALLSS assessment window, student results are shared with parents and guardians and are used by teachers to inform instructional planning.
The FCPS VALLSS score report provides performance information from the student's most recent test in a testing window. Reports are generated in fall, winter, and spring. Families will only receive a report for a window when the student took VALLSS.
When a student is assessed with VALLSS in a testing window, families receive a custom score report within about 1 month of the close of the window.
- The report is posted to the SIS ParentVUE Documents section
- Numerical scores are posted to the SIS ParentVUE Test History section
- For families without a ParentVUE account, the score report is distributed to the family from the school
Content of the VALLSS Family Report will be updated when available.
Translations of the VALLSS Family Report will be updated when available.
