As 2008 draws near, parents' anger toward Washington state grows. And students either scratch their heads in bewilderment or tear out their hair in frustration because of the confusion surrounding something called a WASL.
The Washington Assessment of Student Learning (commonly referred to as the WASL) is a statewide test administered in all Washington public schools. All fourth-, seventh- and 10th-graders are tested in reading, writing, listening and mathematics. Eighth- and 10th graders also will take the test in science.
Beginning with the year 2008, high school students who do not pass that WASL test will not graduate, regardless of their grades or SAT scores. Now, of course, they can retake the test the following year, but doing so in effect postpones their going to college.
The problem with the test
Having taken this test myself in all three grades in which it is administered, I recall being told on every occasion "not to worry," since scores at that time would not be counted against you in the long run.
In each classroom in which I took the test, the environment depended on the teacher's attitude. In fourth grade, I found the exam to be a bit nerve-wracking. I had recently moved to Seattle, and I was unaccustomed to this setting. The teacher was relatively strict, and there was little or no talking, even during breaks.
Most recently, in 10th grade, there was a lack of seriousness, and it was hard for many of the students in the classroom to focus when the teacher was cracking jokes about the test format or there were grammatical errors in the instructions.
In all cases, the classroom was quiet during the testing, save for clanging heaters or an occasional shout from the hallway. We were to be in class by 7:45 a.m., and we would remain there for roughly two hours.
This inconsistent administration of the test is one of many problems with the WASL. Another is a lack of accountability on the part of the WASL system, as well as unpredictable standards and inaccurate scoring.
Students are also opposed to the WASL not only because of early morning test schedules, but also because they feel that the material covered on the test is not taught in their classrooms.
"I remember when I took the test in 10th grade," recalls one junior who attends a Seattle school, "and one of the science questions had to do with stuff we hadn't covered yet."
Many teachers do not support the WASL, making it difficult for the students to take the test seriously.
"My math teacher let us look stuff up during the break, even though he read us the directions... which said there were no dictionaries allowed," claims one freshman at a North End school.
For grading or instruction?
According to the Superintendent of Public Instruction's website, the test was not intended for use as a grading tool, but as a way of helping teachers improve their instruction.
The issue here is that teachers cannot accurately assess where more instruction is needed if the test is administered every three years. Such distance between the testing periods make WASL grades almost useless to teachers who must track students' progress and create their lesson plans on a daily basis.
Students agree that not everything tested on the WASL is covered in their classrooms, especially in high school, where classes are more varied than ever, and classes such as science and math are not even required for the full four years.
Furthermore, if improved instruction is the goal of the WASL, it seems contradictory to punish the students for not passing the test.
The fundamentals of learning are being challenged by the fact that students are punished for not knowing something that has yet to be taught to them. They are given one chance to pass the test, and no outside factors are taken into account. Learning disabilities, foster care or a poor family situation are in no way addressed by this testing method.
There is also an ever-changing standard of achievement, which is often raised to silence critics of the state's academic performance as a whole, and to distract from the problems from which they stem.
A 'high-stakes' test
The WASL is classified as a "high stakes" test, which means, essentially, that the scores students receive contribute to the decisions as to where funding is most needed, and whether schools meet the state's standard. It does not seem logical to assess schools and students based solely on one test.
Likewise, it is not logical for a university to admit students based only on the SAT; they require an essay, recommendation letters, among other things to determine the merit of their applicant pool.
In addition, roughly 70 percent of all 10th-graders failed to "meet the standard" in one or more of the four test sections. One could conclude that these abysmal scores stem not explicitly from poor teaching, but from a poorly constructed means of assessment. Not all children are necessarily "good test takers" and placing such pressure on students does not seem fair.
Julia Siegl, a North Seattle resident, will be a junior this fall at Roosevelt High School.
[[In-content Ad]]
