When your student graduates from a public high school or is promoted to the next grade level, can you rest assured that he or she is truly prepared for higher education or a job?
The Washington Assessment of Student Learning (WASL) has been used as a tool to identify kids who aren’t making adequate progress. But some parents and educators haven’t been fans of the tests.
State Superintendent of Public Instruction Randy Dorn announced plans last week to introduce a new, statewide student assessment system — including the replacement of the WASL.
No changes are being made to the WASL this school year. But beginning in spring 2010, the state will replace the WASL with two new tests: the Measurements of Student Progress (MSP) in grades 3-8 and the High School Proficiency Exams (HPSE).
In a press conference Jan. 21, Dorn commented, “I was elected on a promise to replace the WASL with a fairer, less expensive system of measuring student learning.”
To that end, the new state assessment system will be called the Washington Comprehensive Assessment Program (WCAP) and will include the following goals:
1) Shorten the tests.
2) Reduce the amount of time students spend on written responses.
3) Return scores more quickly.
4) Increase the use of technology (computerized testing/scoring).
5) Provide more diagnostic information (such as student strengths and weaknesses) to teachers and families.
6) Minimize costs.
Computer-delivered reading, math and science tests could be available as an option to school districts beginning in 2010 with the goal of statewide implementation by 2012. Computerized scoring of the writing test would also reduce costs.
The grades 3-8 Measurements of Student Progress tests will be offered twice each school year, beginning in the fall of 2010. This would allow students an opportunity to show proficiency more than once and provide more diagnostic information to better support individualized teaching plans.
The High School Proficiency Exams will be shorter and contain significantly fewer extended answer questions.
Reacting to the news that the WASL will be replaced, Lake Washington School District (LWSD) Chief Academic Officer Dan Phelan told the Redmond Reporter, “I would agree there is room for improvement.”
He added that “huge guidelines and real clarity” are needed to make the changes.
“We want to make sure there’s enough rigor, enough mastery (for our students to) go to college and succeed. And we want to make sure of what’s going to be consistent with our curriculum.”
A timeline to prepare students and parents for the new testing has not been established, but “we will tell our parents as soon as we know,” Phelan stated.
To learn more about Dorn’s plan for the new state testing methods, visit the OSPI Home Page at www.k12was.us.
