Brief Description: Concerning the design of the state assessment system and the WASL.

Sponsors: By House Committee on Education (originally sponsored by Representatives Sullivan, Priest, Haler, Santos and Ormsby).

House Committee on Education
House Committee on Appropriations
Senate Committee on Early Learning & K-12 Education

Background:

End-of-Course Assessments. In 2007 the Legislature enacted a policy allowing students through the class of 2012 to graduate from high school without meeting the state standard in mathematics on the high school Washington Assessment of Student Learning (WASL) under certain conditions. Students in the graduating class of 2013 and thereafter will be required to meet the mathematics standard on the WASL or an approved alternative assessment.

The 2007 legislation also directed the State Board of Education (SBE) to examine potential changes to the high school WASL in science and mathematics, focusing primarily on moving to an end-of-course assessment (EOC) in these subjects rather than a comprehensive assessment. The Governor vetoed these particular provisions, but asked the SBE to study EOCs generally. The SBE engaged a national consultant who issued a report in January 2008. The report found that EOCs and comprehensive assessments have much in common, can serve similar purposes, and each have strengths and weaknesses.

Assessment Contractor Request for Proposal (RFP). In the spring of 2007, the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) issued an RFP for a new contractor to assist with development and administration of the WASL and other components of the state assessment system. The previous contract expires at the end of October 2008.

The responses to the RFP indicate a significant increase in costs compared to the previous contract. The OSPI has suggested it would be possible, without negatively affecting the reliability or validity of the assessment, to generate some cost savings by reducing the number of open-ended questions on the elementary and middle school reading, mathematics, and science WASL. This should also reduce the number of testing days. Because it is used as a graduation requirement, the OSPI does not recommend changing the high school WASL.

Summary:

Effective with the 2009 administration of the WASL, the OSPI must redesign the elementary and middle school assessment in reading, mathematics, and science by shortening test administration and reducing the number of open-ended questions.

The OSPI must also develop statewide EOCs for high school mathematics in Algebra I, Geometry, Integrated Mathematics I, and Integrated Mathematics II. The Algebra I and Integrated Mathematics I assessments must be available in school districts for optional use in the 2009-10 school year. All four of the EOCs are implemented statewide in 2010-11.

The graduating class of 2013 has the option of meeting the state mathematics standard for graduation purposes using the Algebra I plus the Geometry EOC, the Integrated Mathematics I plus the Integrated Mathematics II EOC, or the WASL.

Beginning with the graduating class of 2014, students must meet the state standard for graduation using the EOCs. Students who take the sequence of EOCs once but do not meet the state standard in mathematics have access to any approved alternative assessment.

The OSPI must report at least annually to the education committees of the Legislature, or more often if necessary, regarding the development and implementation of the EOCs.

Votes on Final Passage:

House   94   0
Senate   35   12   (Senate amended)
House   92   1   (House concurred)

Effective: June 12, 2008