Brief Description: Changing provisions relating to the social studies, health and fitness, and arts components of the WASL.

Sponsors: Representatives Quall, Cox and Schual-Berke; by request of Superintendent of Public Instruction.

Hearing Date: 2/27/03

Staff: Susan Morrissey (786-7111).

Background:

WASL - Timelines

By law, Washington's public school students must take standardized assessments in a number of different content areas at various points in the students' educational careers. During elementary, middle school, and high school, the students take the Washington Assessment of Student Learning (WASL) to determine whether they are meeting the state's learning standards, also called the essential academic learning requirements (EALRs). for students at those grade levels. Assessments in reading, writing, mathematics, and communications (listening) have already been developed and administered for students in the fourth, seventh and tenth grades. In the future, students in elementary, middle school, and high school will also be assessed in science, social studies, the arts, and health and fitness.

The timelines for the voluntary and required administration of the WASL is determined by law. The grade levels at which students will be assessed are determined by rule. The WASL is used to ascertain whether the schools that the students attend are helping the students to meet the EALRs.

At some point in the future, the WASL will also be used to determine whether students are allowed to graduate from a public high school.

The Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) inherited from the Commission on Student Learning the responsibility for the development, revision, and administration of the WASL.

Summary of Bill:

The WASL will be developed and revised by the OSPI in consultation with educators, parents and community members.

The WASL in reading, writing, communications (listening), mathematics and science will be administered to students under guidelines and during prescribed time periods determined by the OSPI. The WASL will be scored centrally and their results will be reported to the OSPI and the public.

The assessments in the arts and health and fitness will be project or classroom-based and scored locally or regionally using consistent scoring criteria and procedures. Once the WASL is statutorily required, their results will be reported to the OSPI. The OSPI may require the reporting of results during the time that the WASL is voluntary, on a case-by-case basis.

The social studies WASL has two parts. Part one, a new civics assessment, is adopted for middle and high school students. The assessment will meet the same administration requirements as the WASL for reading, writing, listening, mathematics and science. Part two, covering the remainder of the social studies EALR, will be assessed through classroom-based assessments in elementary, middle and high school. The part two social studies WASL will meet the same administration requirements as the arts and health and fitness WASL.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Requested on 2/14/03.

Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.