The Math WASL is History (in 2014)

WASL will not be imposed on the class of 2014 (students who are currently in the 6th grade). Instead they will take end-of-course exams, which they will have to pass in order to graduate. This makes more sense, as they will be tested on specific subjects which they took that year. For example, they will take the Algebra exam after finishing their Algebra class.

A question which comes to mind though, (not having read the new law yet), is what about the middle school students who take high school algebra and geometry classes prior to entering high school? Will they have to wait until they hit 9th grade to take the test, or can they take the high school exam in 7th or 8th grade?

Fairness has been raised as an issue with the reading and writing tests (mostly in terms of students for whom English is not their primary language), and fairness is again an issue with this latest WASL change. If math can be assessed through an end-of-course exam, why can’t the same be done with the reading and writing exams? Will the state eventually do away with WASL altogether, or will some immigrant families have to sue the state to correct the basic unfairness of the language WASLs?

Only time will tell…

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/education/2004309300_wasl27m.html

Tags: 2014, bergeson, Education, end-of-year exams, math, OSPI, washington, wasl