1. Hot Topics for Washington’s Assessment Program Joe Willhoft OSPI Assessment and Research OSPI/WERA Assessment Conference December 7-8, 2006 Seatac Hilton

2. The Basics Census testing of all 10th grade students, regardless of students’ grade level last year, all included in AYP; students not tested if the HS WASL was previously passed. Class of 2008 must pass Reading, Writing, and Math to earn a diploma. Diploma issued via a “CAA” or “CIA”, displayed on HS transcript. Home-based & private school students are NOT required to take WASL, and cannot earn a Washington HS diploma; must be flagged in CSRS. “Class of 2008” = Student first entered Gr 9 in 2004-05 school year. - A CSRS data element (“Grad Year”) should be set when student enters Gr 9; - Value may be changed by IEP team, or for a student new to a district. Reading, Math, Writing results will be delivered to districts Thurs., June 7, 2007.

3. Third Day Added to HS Writing Test High School Writing to span 3 days in 2007 – March 13, 14, 15. One of the three days will be used to pilot new prompts for future use. Need to assure year-to-year equivalence, and fairness, of writing test. Only applies to high school; due to high stakes nature of test. Third writing day is not an annual event; will need to repeat every 3 or 4 years. In 2007 (and beyond) high school writing uses separate booklet for each day.

4. Math Proposal from State Superintendent and Governor Nov. 27 Bergeson and Gregoire announced a proposal to send to legislature. Applies to students in Classes of 2008, 2009, 2010. If standard on math WASL not met via the math WASL or a CAA Option, can still earn diploma if: –Continues to take math WASL each spring, and –Continues to take and pass math courses. Proposal supported by State Board of Education. Is a proposal only, Legislature has final say.

5. CAA Options Legislature approved three options for those whose knowledge and skills are at standard, but for whom paper/pencil test does not show this Passing score on the options required to be at least as rigorous as WASL. Collection of Evidence (COE) – student must have taken and not passed WASL twice; must also meet attendance, remediation indicated on SLP. WASL/GPA Analysis – student must have taken and not passed WASL twice; must also meet attendance, remediation indicated on SLP; OSPI likely to establish restrictions on which courses apply; OSPI developing tool using transcript files uploaded to OSPI. PSAT/SAT/ACT option (only for WASL-Math) – student must have taken and not passed WASL twice; Class of 2008 may use PSAT/SAT/ACT score taken at any time; State Board of Ed approved cut scores in November. Scores: PSAT=47; SAT=470; ACT=19

6. Segmented Math Course Under Development Year-long math course will be ready for 2007-08. Available for juniors and seniors. Design of course: Sixty days’ instruction in number sense and algebraic sense, followed by short WASL on those topics (20-25 items; about 100 minutes); Fifty days on geometric sense and measurement, short WASL on those topics; Forty days on probability and statistics, short WASL on those topics; All WASLs include assessment of math process strands. Scores from three short WASLs are combined into a total WASL score.

7. Appeals for Assessments Needed for Graduation Appeals are only available for HS assessments. Two types of appeals: Score appeal and appeal for transfers or special circumstances. –Score appeal requires parent/guardian to view test and identify items not properly scored. –Transfer and special circumstances appeal under development; draft guidelines due January 2, 2007. Districts should have out-of-state transfer students register for spring WASL until appeal guidelines are confirmed.