Lake Washington School District (LWSD) students continue to improve their performance on the Washington Assessment of Student Learning (WASL), according to the 2006 test score results. Long-term trends remain up in all grades and subjects that have been tested before.
Gains occurred in all three grades tested in both writing and science. The largest gain was a 13-point leap in students reaching standard in eighth-grade science. Tenth-grade scores rose in all four subjects, including a 12-point gain in the percentage of students at standard in writing. This year was the first in which tenth-grade students will be required to meet the WASL standard in reading, writing and math in order to graduate. Just over 73 percent of tenth-graders tested passed all three of these tests on their first try. Another 18.4 percent missed only one test.
Science scores reflected consistent increases in each of the three grades in which the test was administered. In fifth grade, 58.7 percent of students met the standard in science, up 2.2 percent from the 2005 scores. The state average in fifth grade is 35.7 percent. Eighth-grade science scores showed the greatest gain of all categories. This year, 67.4 percent of students met standard, up 13.1 percent from last year, and well above the state average of 42.9 percent. In tenth grade, 58.7 percent made the standard, up 2.6 percent from the previous year. That compares to an average of 34.9 percent statewide.
"We instituted a new science curriculum in eighth grade two years ago," said Saul. "It takes a few years for teachers to learn to use a new curriculum to its best advantage. Our students are now starting to show the results."
The percent of students meeting standard in writing increased in all three grades tested. Both fourth and seventh grades saw increases of about four percent in students meeting standard, to 77.4 percent and 83.0 percent, respectively. Tenth grade scores saw an increase of 12 percent, to 91.6 percent of students meeting the standard. The state average for fourth grade was 60.3 percent, seventh was 64.5 percent and tenth was 79.7 percent.
Both fourth-grade and seventh-grade math and reading scores showed declines in the percent of students meeting standard, with the largest a six-percent drop in seventh-grade students at standard in reading. These percentages remained higher than the numbers for 2003 and 2004. Statewide, scores also dropped in fourth-grade math and seventh-grade reading and math.
Tenth-grade math scores increased, with 71.4 percent making the grade, compared to 66.7 percent in 2005. In contrast, only 51 percent of tenth-grade students statewide met standard in math. Despite the decline, 69.8 percent of district seventh graders met standard in math compared to 48.5 percent statewide. ?For fourth grade, the district's percentage was 75.1 percent, compared to the state's 58.9 percent.
"Math still needs more attention at all levels but we are seeing long-term progress," noted Saul. "We will continue to work to identify students who are struggling in math."
This year, 88.4 percent of fourth graders met standard in reading, compared to 89.8 percent in 2005. Seventh grade scores showed more of a decline, from 83.5 percent of students meeting standard in 2005 to 78.0 percent in 2006. Seventh grade reading scores were down seven percent statewide. In tenth grade, 91.7 percent of students met the standard, compared to 86.1 percent in 2005.
WASL tests in reading and math were administered in third, fifth, sixth and eighth grade for the first time this year.
Kathryn Reith is the director of communications for the Lake Washington School District. She can be reached at kreith@lwsd.org or 702-3342.[[In-content Ad]]
