Finds that Washington schools and students are making significant progress in improving achievement in reading and writing. Schools are adapting instruction and providing remediation for students who need additional assistance. Reading and writing are being taught across the curriculum. Therefore, the legislature does not intend to make changes to the Washington assessment of student learning or high school graduation requirements in reading and writing.

Finds that, however, students are having difficulty improving their academic achievement in mathematics and science, particularly as measured by the high school Washington assessment of student learning. The legislature finds that corrections are needed in the state's high school assessment system that will improve alignment between learning standards, instruction, diagnosis, and assessment of students' knowledge and skills in high school mathematics and science.

Finds there is a sense of urgency to make these corrections. There is not the time or the necessity to build a new set of standards and assessments from the ground up. Rather, the state board of education and the superintendent of public instruction must take advantage of the opportunity to draw on the experience of other states. There are a number of states that use end-of-course assessments to measure student achievement of mathematics and science standards in high school.

Declares an intent to direct the state board of education, in collaboration with the superintendent of public instruction, to select and implement end-of-course assessments in a timely manner so that they are a reliable and valid measure of students' knowledge and skills for purposes of high school graduation. The legislature further intends to revise the high school graduation requirements to allow these corrections to be fully implemented.

Requires that, beginning in 2007, the state board of education and the superintendent of public instruction shall report annually by December 1st to the education committees of the legislature on the status and progress of implementation of their responsibilities under this act.