With last week’s WASL scores release came an update on the Class of 2010, most of whom took and passed the 10th Grade Reading and Writing WASLs in 2007-08. Those students who did not pass one or both tests retook the exams this year. And what a difference a year makes for some. What’s most encouraging is the large jump in passing percentages among certain subgroups — a 16-point gain for African-American, Latino and Native American students, and almost 28 points for Special Education students. Certainly many of the pass rates are nowhere near where we would like them to be, but at least progress is being made.

Let’s also take a look at the progress of the Class of 2011. So far, almost three-fourths of this class have passed both Reading and Writing WASLs, putting them on track to graduate next year (barring any credit deficencies). But how have they done over time? (I did a similar analysis on the Class of 2010 at this same time last year) To create the below chart, I used this year’s data along with WASL pass rates from 2002-03 (4th grade), 2003-04 (5th grade Science), 2005-06 (7th grade) and 2006-07 (8th grade Science). Admittedly, not all members of the Class of 2011 were in Washington and/or these grades at those times, but it’s the closest we can get to tracking the class as a whole.

The results are a bit troubling. Steady gains were made on the Reading and Writing WASLs, but pass rates from the Math and Science WASLs are not encouraging.

As we noted, the latest WASL results were released last Friday. Included in the release were the latest tallies for the Class of 2009 (previous update here), as well as status updates for the classes of 2010 and 2011 (more on those later). The good news is, over 93 percent of the Class of 2009 met the Reading and Writing WASL standards. (As a reminder, we’re looking at Reading and Writing WASL results because they are graduation requirements.) And while gaps remain between ethnic groups (up to 10 percentage points), met standard rates are up for almost every subgroup. Here are two charts showing Class of 2009 results, with Class of 2008 data thrown in for perspective. The largest gains were made by our English Language Learners and Special Education students, which is encouraging.

The 2008-09 WASL results were made available today. We’ll have some continued analyses of the results next week, but below are a few charts to whet your whistle. Over the past six years we’ve seen some significant improvements in student proficiency on the Reading and Writing WASLs. What we have seen less of is closing of the achievement gap.

Superintendent of Public Instruction Randy Dorn released the spring 10th grade WASL scores today, as well as graduation rates for the Class of 2008. And the news isn’t all bad, although it’s not all good either.

First the good news: 93 percent of the Class of 2009 has passed the Reading and Writing WASLs. Although not a graduation requirement, 73.4 percent of 12th graders have passed the Math WASL, an improvement from previous years.

Now, the bad news: We continue to have a dropout problem in this state — 21.4 percent of the Class of 2008 dropped out of high school. That in and of itself is disappointing, but what is even more depressing is the dropout rate broken out by subgroup. While 18.7 percent of White students dropped out, 29.6 percent of Latino, 32.5 percent of African American and 40.8 percent of Native American students dropped out. This is not OK.

Today, the Senate EL & K12 committee held executive session on two of the WASL bills.  

SB 5414 – Implementing the WASL work group recommendations passed to Rules.  There were 3 amendments which they took pretty quickly, so I missed some of it.  However, the substitute did pass and will move forward to Rules.  We will get more information soon on these amendments. 

SB 5260 – Motivating students with incentives by eliminating statewide assessments as a high graduation requirement.  There is now a substitute version of this bill that retains ONLY the incentives study.  It drops all language and provisions pertaining to eliminating the WASL as a graduation requirement.  It was a VERY close vote, but the substitute version also passed to Rules.

We are tracking these bills closely and will have more on this soon

There are several bills this session dealing with the almighty WASL.  Some seek adjust the test and the requirements and some would eliminate it as a graduation requirement.

Today, both the House and Senate held hearings on all these bills,  and our very own Lisa Macfarlane came down to testify.  Those that know Lisa, know that she believes strongly in high expectations for ALL (not just some) students and accountability. 

This is a summary of her testimony today.

SB 5414: WASL workgroup recommendations
LEV supports this bill which sets the goal of creating a system of assessment that provides more immediate feedback, measure student growth throughout the year, and strive to be computer based.
LEV shares the view of the WASL work group that we should continue the Reading and Writing WASL as graduation requirements.

HB 1646: Making adjustments pertaining to the high school Washington assessment of student learning in mathematics and science
Similar to SB 5414, but it maintains that the math and science assessment graduation requirement.  We prefer the House version over the Senate version. 

SB 5260: Eliminating the WASL as a graduation requirement
LEV strongly opposes this bill.  We feel like the bill is going in the wrong direction, and trying to solve a problem that we don’t have.  Kids aren’t not graduating because of the reading and writing WASL.  We have appropriate alternatives in place so that they can demonstrate their skills and knowledge. 
Adjustments in WASL are necessary.  We like the direction that Superintendent Randy Dorn is going — shorter, less expensive, more diagnostic, faster turn around with test results and the incorporation of technology.
We believe that the research is clear: diminished expectations and the lowering of academic standards contribute to the achievement gap.  We need rigorous graduation to ensure tht standards and expectations are high for ALL kids, not just some.

SB 5459: Creating multiple measures to meet high school graduation requirements
LEV opposes this bill.  It lowers standards at a time when our students need to leave high school better prepared more than ever.  This proposed weighted graduation score would be complex and confusing.  We don’t think it is necessary since we have alternative assessments that give students alternatives to the WASL.

SB 5498/HB 1562: Eliminating the annual math assessment requirement
We support this bill.  It removes the requirement that high school students who have not met the mathematics standard take an “annual mathematics assessment.” Students would continue to be required to earn two additional math credits after 1oth grade.
We have hundreds of students in the class of 2009 who, for one reason or another, did not take a math assessment last year and will not be able to graduate.  This will create a strong incentive for students to take the assessment because they will not be required to take additional math classes.

The word is out on Superintendent of Public Instruction Randy Dorn’s plans to revamp the Washington Assessment of Student Learning (WASL). But Dorn’s not the only one with WASL reform on his mind — legislators in Olympia introduced a handful of bills focused on reform, big and small. Here’s a quick breakdown of them all.

Superintendent Dorn’s plan:

• Rebrands the assessment system; the system would be called the Washington Comprehensive Assessment Program (WCAP), the tests for 3-8 graders would be Measurements of Student Progress (MSP) and the tests of 10th graders would be High School Proficiency Exams (HSPE)
• Continues to use the reading and writing assessments as graduation requirements; postpones math and science assessments and graduation requirements
• Uses shorter, computer-based tests for math, reading and science (explore for writing), beginning in 2010
• Offers MSPs in fall and spring to measure student growth, and be given in one sitting
• Moves “accountability test” used for NCLB to later in the spring

House Bill 1646, Making adjustments pertaining to the high school Washington assessment of student learning in mathematics and science, sponsored by Reps. Sullivan, Priest, Kenney, Morrell, and Ormsby

• Suspends the graduation requirement for the Class of 2013 and beyond to pass the math and science assessments
• Directs the State Board of Education (SBE) to determine when the math and science assessments are ready to be used as graduation requirements
• Empowers the SBE to reexamine the science assessment and graduation requirement timeline

Senate Bill 5414, Implementing recommendations of the WASL legislative work group, sponsored by Sens. McAuliffe, King, Oemig, and McDermott

• Sets goal of creating a system of assessment that provides more immediate feedback, measures student growth throughout the year, and strives to be computer based
• Delegates work to SBE and OSPI – annual reports to the Legislature on the assessment system; review of EALRs in all subjects to better align with college/workforce requirements; and exploration of end-of-course assessments  (EOCs) in science (instead of science WASL, and removes science WASL graduation requirement for Class of 2013)
• Directs OSPI to look at shortening WASL exams
• Beginning in 2010-11, students will take math EOCs

House Bill 1341/Senate Bill 5260, Motivating students through incentives to pursue post-secondary education by eliminating statewide assessments as a high school graduation requirement, sponsored by Reps. Santos, Haler, Hasegawa, Sells, Seaquist, Goodman, Appleton, Hunt, Chase, Kenney, Simpson, Campbell, Nelson, McCoy, Van De Wege, and Sens. McAuliffe, Fraser, Pridemore, Hargrove, Sheldon, Kauffman, Hobbs, Hatfield, Fairley, Roach

• Removes passing the WASL as a graduation requirement; students continue to take the exam
• Directs OSPI to shorten the 10th grade WASL exams, beginning in 2010
• Assigns OSPI, the Higher Education Coordinating Board and the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges to review student incentive programs used in other states; savings from removal of the WASL as a graduation requirement could be redirected toward recommended incentives

The HB2722 Advisory Committee (also known as the African American Achievement Gap Committee) issued it’s final report Monday. In the report, the Committee sets four goals for closing the achievement gap for African American students.

The goals are:

1. By 2014, all school districts ensure that teachers, staff and administrators in schools with 20 percent or more African American students are qualified, trained and effectively meeting the academic, cultural and social needs of these students.
2. By 2014, provide all African American children, birth to five, with high quality and academically focused early education to prepare them for success in school.
3. Increase the on-time and extended graduation rates for African American students to reach parity with the highest-performing demographic group by 2014, and to achieve a 100 percent graduation rate by 2018. All graduates should be work- and college-ready without the need for remediation.
4. By 2018, increase the number of African American students entering and completing post-secondary education and/or job training to be at or above parity with the highest-performing demographic group, and to achieve 100 percent participation by 2024.

The WASL Workgroup also released it’s final report and recommendations on the state assessment system. The workgroup makes some long- and short-term recommendations for Washington’s assessment system, namely making the system more informative and responsive.

Posted by Heather

The WASL Workgroup is meeting at 9am on Monday, October 13 in Olympia (House Hearing Room B in the O’Brien Building). The agenda:

Work Session:  

1. Follow-up from Previous Meeting.
2. Balanced Assessment Systems: Trends in Other States.
3. Update on Implementation of Math End-of-Course Assessments.
4. Balanced Assessment at the District Level: Experiences in Three Districts.
5. Culturally Responsive Pedagogy, Achievement, and Assessment.
6. Public Comment.
7. Discussion: Next Steps.

Posted by Heather

The agenda for the September 22nd WASL Workgroup meeting is now available:

House Hearing Rm B
John L. O’Brien Building
Olympia, WA

Work Session:  

1. Follow-up from previous meeting.
2. Commercially developed tests and experiences in other states.
3. Multiple choice questions – discussion with Dr. James Popham.
4. WASL performance audit – discussion with Legislative Auditor.
5. Diagnostic assessments.
6. Public comment and discussion on the work group’s next steps.

Posted by Heather

With the release of WASL pass rates yesterday came the first opportunity to look at the progress of the Class of 2010. Two-thirds of the class is on track to graduate, having passed the Reading and Writing exams this past spring. But how has this class progressed over time? I took a peak at the data from when the Class of 2010 was in 4th and 7th grades (2001-02 and 2004-05, respectively).

The results: the Class of 2010 has made progress on the Reading and Writing WASLs but declined slightly on the Math exam. Science WASL scores are not included in this comparison as the class wasn’t tested three times in this subject.

Source: OSPI

Posted by Heather

WASL scores for 2007-08 were released today by the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction. As we all could probably predict, results are mixed, but let’s look at this through a glass-half-full lens.

For the Class of 2008, passing rates on the Reading and Writing WASL are now at 92.9 percent, up 1.5 percent, or 684 students, from June (I wrote about those results here).  No, we can’t boast a pass rate of 100 percent. And yes, these numbers do not include the students who have dropped out (9,000+) or been reclassified into other grades (9,500+). BUT, we also can’t call the WASL-as-graduation-requirement a “train wreck” (as many thought it would be).

For the Class of 2009 (incoming 12th graders), scores are also going up, with 86 percent having passed the Reading and Writing WASL. Scores for all subgroups are up when compared to the Class of 2008 at the same point last year, although the achievement gap persists at a similar rate (between 11 and 17 percentage points).

Source: OSPI

And for the Class of 2010, scores weren’t too bad either. On the first go-round, 75.41 percent passed the Reading and Writing WASL. Unfortunately the achievement gap persists between subgroups, ranging from 7 to 25 percentage points.

Source: OSPI

In grades 3-8, Science and Writing WASL scores were up, although not always by leaps and bounds. Increases ranged from 1 to 2 percentage points in Writing and 3 to 6 percentage points in Science. Grade 5 had across-the-board score increases while grades 4 and 7 saw decreases in Reading and Math. Scores in grades 3, 4 and 6 varied little from last year.

 

 

Detailed results are available on the OSPI website here.

Support materials, including press release and PowerPoint, are available here.

Posted by Heather

The Center on Education Policy, a policy shop/think tank in the other Washington, released a report this week on end-of-course exams. Washington’s plan to phase out the Math WASL and replace it with end-of-course exams in Algebra I and Geometry by 2014 featured heavily in the report (providing me with some interesting reading).

Like most reports coming out of think tanks, this one offered suggestions to states implementing EOC exams. The good news: Washington falls in step with some of their recommendations. As CEP suggests, we are phasing in our EOC exams and reviewing state content standards. As the State moves forward in developing and finalizing EOC exams, we can only hope stakeholders are consulted and teachers adequately prepared for implementation.

Given the unfortunate low performance of Washington students on the Math WASL, the move to EOC exams is a positive one — as long as we implement it well. EOC exams should also help schools identify struggling students earlier, rather than waiting until the 10th grade to see if students mastered Algebra and Geometry (classes they may have taken in 8th and 9th grade).

This report also reminded me about options for students who failed the WASL, namely using the SAT as a replacement. If a student uses the SAT as a WASL replacement, s/he need only score a 470 in math (out of 800), 350 in reading, or a 380 in writing. For a frame of reference, the average SAT score (math and reading) in 2007 of incoming freshmen at CWU was 991, at WWU was 1107, and at UW was 1090-1320.

The CEP report is available here.

An article in Education Week about the report is here.

More information about the Washington State Assessment System is available here.