The 2015-16 school year was the second for new, more rigorous state tests in English Language Arts and Mathematics. Results for Lake Washington School District (LWSD) students rose in almost every grade and subject over last year.

“Our building administrators, teachers and staff are working hard to ensure all students are meeting and exceeding standards,” noted Dr. Traci Pierce, superintendent. “Student performance on state assessments is one important measure of academic achievement and progress. We are pleased with our results and continue to work hard to ensure that every single student in our district is learning, growing and succeeding.”

Students in grades 3-8 and in grade 11 took the Smarter Balanced Assessments in English language arts and in math.

In English language arts, the percent of LWSD students meeting the new standards ranged from 81 percent in third and fourth grade to a high of 91 percent in 11th grade. At the state level, the percent of students meeting the standard in English language arts ranged from 54 percent in grade three to a high of 75 percent in grade 11.

In grades 3-8 math, the percent of LWSD students meeting the standard ranged from 73 percent in fifth grade to a high of 83 percent in third grade. At the state level, the percent of students meeting standard ranged from 48 percent in grade six to 59 percent in grade three.

While all elementary grade levels showed an improvement over 2015, the greatest gains were in sixth grade in LWSD. English language arts scores increased by 3.2 percent. Last year, 78.5 percent of sixth-grade students met the state standard. That increased to 81.7 percent in 2016. In math, 5.1 percent more sixth-graders met the standard in 2016 compared to 2015. In 2015, 70.1 percent of students met the standard. In 2016, that number was up to 75.3 percent.

Science scores continued to be measured in fifth and eighth grades by the Measurements of Student Progress. In LWSD, 88.2 percent of fifth-grade students met the standard in 2016, up from 86.9 percent in 2015. At the state level, fifth-grade scores rose to 65.3 percent at standard in 2016 from 63.4 percent at standard in 2015.

In eighth-grade science, 86.5 percent of LWSD students met the standard, compared to 83.4 percent in 2015. Eighth-grade scores also rose at the state level, to 67.5 percent in 2016 from 60.7 percent in 2015.

Students in the class of 2017, those students who were juniors last spring, are the first class that will have to pass the Smarter Balanced English Language Arts (SBA) test to satisfy a graduation requirement. About 91 percent of LWSD 11th-grade students met the standard by taking the test last spring or in 2015 as 10th-grade students.

Most of this year’s 11th-grade students, a total of 1,568, did not take the SBA math test. The class of 2017 may use either the SBA or the End of Course (EOC) exams from previous years to meet a graduation requirement. While they have met the graduation requirement, they counted as a zero or not at standard for state testing purposes if they did not take the SBA this year. As a result, 6.1 percent of 11th-grade students took the SBA math test and were at standard this year.

That number does not represent the accomplishments of the class of 2017. At this time, 95 percent of that class has met the math state assessment graduation requirement, 90 percent by passing the algebra EOC exam.