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Matthews County to expand ASVAB testing, details VALS interventions for K–3
Summary
Superintendent Dr. Daniel told the board the district will administer ASVAB broadly to 11th‑ and 12th‑graders in response to a state accountability change and outlined a VALS‑based elementary response including a 120‑minute literacy block and 30‑minute daily interventions for high‑risk K–3 students.
Superintendent Dr. Daniel briefed the Matthews County School Board on steps the division is taking to respond to changes in Virginia's accountability framework and on targeted early‑literacy interventions.
On assessments, Dr. Daniel said the state now counts an enlistment measure within a three‑component accountability index and that ASVAB testing is the established route to earn enlistment credit. "So this year we are testing all twelfth grade and eleventh grade students on the ASVAB," he said. Seniors took the test in the fall; juniors will be tested in the spring. Parents may opt their children out and the high‑school counseling office will debrief scores. The superintendent said the district will not deploy systemwide ASVAB test prep but will offer counseling and targeted supports for students who wish to improve scores.
At the elementary level, Dr. Daniel reviewed VALS (the screener replacing PALS) and the division’s response to the results. He outlined a division commitment to a 120‑minute daily literacy block and a 30‑minute, scripted intervention block for students identified in high‑risk bands. The district has deployed interventionists, special‑education staff and teacher assistants to deliver SPIRE interventions across K–3, and is using approved materials including Lexia, Newsela and UFLY. "These interventions are pull‑out services happening 30 minutes daily to address student needs," he said, and the district is closely monitoring progress.
Dr. Daniel added that the 'All‑In' tutoring grant is funding after‑school tutoring (roughly $260,000 was mentioned for program delivery) and that 26 students currently participate in the tutoring program. The board asked for year‑over‑year attendance and chronic‑absence comparisons tied to the attendance presentation, and requested clearer monthly comparisons for the next report.
Next steps: the board will receive midyear VALS results (expected in February after state uploads), continued monitoring of intervention outcomes, and further documentation about how assessments will feed into the state's accountability templates.
