HOUSE BILL ANALYSIS

                  HB 2582

Title:  An act relating to the Washington assessment of student learning

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Brief Description: Changing provisions relating to the Washington assessment of student learning.

Sponsors:   Representatives Schindler, Koster, Cox, Lambert, Talcott, Carrell and Wensman.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

Meeting Date:  January 27, 2000

Bill Analysis Prepared by:  Susan Morrissey (786-7111).

Background:  By law, most fourth, seventh, and tenth grade public school students in Washington are (or soon will be) required to take a Washington State Assessment of Student Learning (WASL) test for their grade level.  Each WASL was created to determine whether students have met the state's academic standards in reading, writing, listening, and mathematics.  Additional WASL's in science and social studies are under development, and others may follow. The standards, also called essential academic learning requirements, were developed initially by the Commission on Student Learning.   HB 1209, the legislation that created the system of standards and assessments, addressed some of the anticipated uses of the WASLs.  One of the provisions of the legislation states:  "The assessment system shall be designed so that the results under the assessment system are used by educators as tools to evaluate instructional practices, and to initiate appropriate educational support for students who have not learned the essential academic learning requirements at the appropriate periods in the student's educational development." 

Once the WASL's are scored by the testing company that prepared them,  and the results are considered valid and reliable, parents and teachers have access to information on how each student performed on the assessments.   However, the scored test booklets are not returned to parents or teachers.

Summary:  Once Washington assessments of student learning are scored, and the data is considered complete and accurate, the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction will provide the scored test booklets to the schools attended by those who took the assessments.  The schools will make the booklets available to the teachers and parents or guardians of  tested students.

Appropriation:  None

Fiscal Note: Requested

Effective Date:  90 days after the end of the regular session