Hi, I am new. I have been having difficulty passing VCLA. I have taken it six times, and still hasn't passed, yet. For writing, I received one time 82% for MC, one time 77%, and last one 71%. Two times I received score of 220. I took reading two times and received score of 235. I was wondering if I can ask for re-score for my last test. Can you please help me with how should I request for re-score? I really need to pass it before March 1st, in order to receive 5 years teaching license. Please help!
Rescores, by and large, end up with test takers getting the exact same score. FYI, your tests are typically scored by 2-3 evaluators so that your responses are fairly and consistently assessed with a grading rubric. You are still perfectly within your right to do so, but the odds are very much stacked against you if you decide to pursue this. How to Request a Rescore: https://www.va.nesinc.com/PageView.aspx?f=GEN_RequestingARescore.html Good luck.
Thank you for the information! I have been taking VCLA with Pearson. Do you or anyone know if there are other test companies that give VCLA?
The VCLA is only administered by Pearson. They are the makers of the test and have a partnership with the Virginia DOE. You probably have zero other options. “The Virginia Department of Education has contracted with the Evaluation Systems group of Pearson to create and administer the Virginia Communication and Literacy Assessment® (VCLA™), which measures the communication and literacy skills necessary for Virginia educators.” http://www.va.nesinc.com/PageView.aspx?f=GEN_Tests.html
There are in fact alternatives. If asingh holds a teaching license from outside the US and has taught for three years, it might be possible to have VCLA waived: see http://www.doe.virginia.gov/teaching/licensure/prof_teacher_assessment.pdf. If asingh has taken and passed ACTFL testing, that's an accepted alternative: see http://www.doe.virginia.gov/teaching/licensure/actfl_testing.pdf. There might be another possibility, but the doe.virginia.gov website isn't being very forthcoming about them. It might be a good idea to ask a live person in a local state education office or at a university that deals with licensure candidates whose first language isn't English.
OP asked if “there were other test companies that give the VCLA,” not if there are equivalent exams accepted in lieu of the VCLA.
Thank you for your replies! Currently I have a provisional license in VA and have been teaching for couple of years now. I am teaching ESOL in Fairfax County Public School, and feel shame that I can't pass a basic exam. I didn't study or prepare for the first couple of times that I took both subtests. But for the last couple of times, I have been studying and preparing really hard and getting same score. I am just getting frustrated and upset that I can't pass it. My licensure told me that she needs all my paperwork and exam results by March 1st. Although, my license will be expiring in June this year. I didn't take the VCLA earlier because I didn't know that it was going to be so difficult for me to pass, and was thinking that I have until June to pass it. I have finished all my courses and other requirements. Would you know if I can still take VCLA until or before June in order to continue to teach next year at the school? In other words, would HR accept my scores by June if I don't pass it by March 1st? Thanks!
I don't do teacher licensure and I'm far from an expert about how Virginia does things, asingh; that's why I recommended asking locally. Much may depend on how badly Fairfax County needs qualified ESOL teachers. What have you been using/doing to prepare for VCLA?
*shrug* If I were in asingh's position, I'd want a fuller answer than my question warranted as stated. And since I'm TeacherGroupie, I decided to rummage the Virginia DOE website fairly thoroughly. A good many states do in fact accept more than one basic-skills test, and in some cases up to three, not counting SAT or ACT.
I have been practicing the test practices that are on Pearson's website. Do you have any other suggestions on how to prepare?
VLCA is what we call a basic-skills test, minus the math component that figures in most of the other basic-skills tests (CBEST, Praxis CORE, WEST-B). LearningExpress publishes some books you might find useful: Writing Skills Success in 20 Minutes a Day will help with the grammar questions (and should help with some of your issues in writing) and Write Better Essays in 20 Minutes a Day has useful advice for essay writing. You can find them used or at places like Barnes & Noble or online. The best bet for you, however, is probably to find a tutor: someone who has VCLA's specifications in mind while reading what you write and giving you feedback.
Hi..I too have trouble passing vcla exam. My third attempt is in next week. Could you please share the resources you used for preparing for the exam. Thanks!
Sorry, I don't have any other resources. I would recommend that you do a search for new VCLA forums, and they might have some other resources that can help you.
Would you mind sharing your email id. I have few writing skills assesements practice. And also have few questions regarding the exam. Thanks!
@Poojapandey , would you mind sharing the writing assessments practice and the questions about VCLA? Thanks!
Hey Asingh- I am in the SAME boat as you!!!! I have already re-taken the exam multiple times, even separating the exams for different days (reading one day, writing the next), and for the life of me, I can not pass I as well work in the same county. I have finished all the requirements (including the RVE) and waited for the last year to take my exams. I did not realize the exam was this hard!!! Someone I ran into had to take the exam over 13 times. FINGERS crossed- not us! She said some exams are easier than others. Do not give up! I will continue to take it up until March 1 and will ask my principal if he could kindly request HR for an extension.
Welcome to A to Z, and hugs. In addition to the scaled scores per subtest, your score reports should give performance indicators that show how you did on the components of each subtest. What do your score reports show? Are the same issues surfacing on each test date, or is there variation?
I am a new teacher, of 1 1/2 years. I was Counselor for the Department of Justice for many years. Going in, I thought that the tests would be extremely difficulty, because I was a counselor to heart for many years. The VCLA was pretty easy; however, the RVE was difficult. Well, that's what I thought, after failing the the first time. The grader must've been extremely critical, because I scored pretty low on the writing portion (VCLA). I was tricked ... I would say, focus on your instruction and learning strategies. These things are noted on the practice tests as well. I pray a lot, so God is always my compass. I pray you well. VCLA Reading 78%=223 Writing 80%=255 But please don't put too much faith in the raw scores as they are full of TRICKERY. lol.
Hey everyone, I am a second year high school art teacher. I have taken the VCLA 7 times! I am currently inthe progress of writing a blog in regards to why this is even a requirement. I have reached out for answers from the VDOE and done a tone of research on this topic. I would love to hear others story in their struggles to obtain a teacher licenses in the state of VA in hopes to 1) know that we are not alone in this struggle and 2) to make a change for the future. Please take a moment to check it out. Justanumber.home.blog
I have taken this exam 7 times now. I am currently writing a blog and doing research as to why it is even needed for educators and no one can seem to give me a straight answer. I would love to hear others struggles and stories and hopefully make a change. Check it out. Justanumber.home.blog. Copy & paste for some reason my link bottom is not letting me convert it to one.
I saw in another thread that you teach AP Computer Science. Notice how this doesn't happen with us science teachers.
Why VCLA for teachers of all subjects? Because, while laying a foundation in reading, writing, speaking and listening skills is the primary focus of English/language arts, ensuring literacy in subject matter is the job of the subject-matter teacher. Not all of your future students are going to become artists, but we as a society are better served if they can articulate why art matters and what makes a given artwork successful - and the reality is that their writing and speaking on art will be more credible if it's reasonably grammatical. With that said, artteacher4life, hugs to you. If you give me some more detail about where you're coming up short on VCLA, I can make some suggestions that might help.
This excerpt is one from the blog and, ironically, on literacy no less: “After 5 plus years of college you find out that your degree is not enough. You go to school, learn all your can, graduate with a decent GPA, get hired, and then they say OH WAIT… you still need to complete this list of things for us, one is an assessment exam it shouldn’t be to hard, complete it in one year. We just want to know whether or not your are literate. Wait, … did I not prove that with my 5 plus years of college…? Do you want to see my college papers, have I not been writing emails and communicating with you are regular bases since you hired me? I’m confused, did you just hire me in hopes that I ALREADY was literate? Well, if you new that why must I take an exam that was formed in 2005 ( 14 YEARS AGO) has me read passes and answer questions that includes trick questions on PROPOSE? May must I write a summary and persuasive essay, I don’t teach English? Do the English teachers have to take the Art Praxis Exam?”
I am guessing that OP is adding to the blog on a cell phone or tablet. Why do I think that? Well, it is easier for me to notice mistakes on my desktop than on my cell phone. I also spend more time proofreading my creations on the desktop, since I have actually committed the time to sit in my office, as opposed to making an entry while, say, riding the subway or bus to work. I noticed the same kind of errors the first two years I taught in a school that wanted 1:1 student to tech, therefore students could use smartphones. Those who used the smartphones were much more likely to go down the slippery slope of text/twitter abbreviations, but on most desktops and laptops, those same egregious errors have red squiggly lines under those mistakes that lead to corrections. Smartphone entries are prone to the user letting the phone make suggestions for you to choose from. If in a hurry, many people choose poorly. My computer doesn't suggest the next word, so I have to spend more time making sure what I mean is what I have actually written. I think someone who is going to post that they are literate should not make such errors, especially if the test has not been passed after multiple tries. Let me say up front that I am a science teacher who believes that literacy in any content area is vital. There are times that I think I will scream if I see one more text abbreviation in any academic use. I am also not a fan of people trying to change the requirements for a job based on the person's own inability to pass an exam, etc.. The author of the blog has missed the big picture - we all need to be the best role models we can be, and being able to write well shouldn't be optional. After all, the English teachers had to take the same exam in addition to their Praxis, so the logic is very flawed. I just watched my son study and prepare for this test, and I took the practice test to get a feel for what it is like. I don't think I would pass without study if it was mandatory, but I understood what I needed to study and pay attention to. I freely admit to having a lot of grad classes/degrees, so I have written a lot of essays and papers over the years. I do take pride in the ability to use my primary language well. If you get sloppy in your writing, it will be reflected in your grade. It will also become a source of embarrassment to you at some point when you are writing for colleagues or administration. So my take away would be simple - conquer your mistakes, which are considerable, be grateful that you have the chance to study hard and become a better writer. Trust me, at some point it always helps to be well versed in literacy, no matter what your content.
