46°F
Cloudy
Full Forecaste

Past Month's Most Commented Stories

Home > Editorial

WASL raises the bar

Friday, August 29, 2008 1:30 AM PDT

Font Size:
 
 

Aug. 29 Daily News editorial

This year’s Washington Assessment of Student Learning test scores showed little, if any, improvement from the previous year’s scores. Scores on the math portion of the WASL actually declined a bit for fourth-, seventh- and 10th-graders statewide. And scores put up by Longview 10th-graders in all portions of the WASL — reading, math, writing and science — lagged behind the state average. Kelso 10th-graders topped the state average in reading, but lagged behind in the three other portions of the test.

Critics of the WASL exam have pounced on these latest results as evidence that the exam sets the bar too high. They are wrong. The overwhelming majority of high school juniors and seniors locally and statewide have passed WASL’s reading and writing tests — the two portions of the WASL that members the classes of 2009 and 2010 must master in order to graduate. In time, we’ve no doubt that the vast majority of Washington students will be passing the math and science tests.

The WASL, the key element in the state’s landmark 1992 education reform, has been a work in progress since the test was first administered a little more than a decade ago. But it’s working as intended — raising educational standards, encouraging students to perform at a higher level and forcing school officials to revisit and improve curricula and teaching methods.

Disappointing scores on the math portion of the WASL played a large part in the State Board of Education’s decision this year to require more course credits in math for high school graduation. Additionally, math teachers around the state are being trained in ways to better present math to students at various grade levels. Would these efforts to improve K-12 math instruction have been initiated absent the WASL? It’s possible, but not likely.

Superintendent of Public Instruction Terry Bergeson this week expressed confidence that the newly revised math standards and the science standards, which are now under review, will lead to improved student performance in math and science in the years ahead. We share that confidence, as well as Bergeson’s strong belief in the need to sustain and build on the improvements the WASL is making in K-12 education.

Our challenge locally is to raise area WASL scores to match or exceed the state average in all phases of the exam. The broader challenge for the state is to keep faith with students and educators working to raise educational standards. WASL has set the bar where it needs to be to ensure that Washington students can compete in the emerging global economy. And the WASL graduation requirement remains essential to getting students over that bar.

Previous Next

Ella Mentry wrote on Aug 29, 2008 7:52 AM:

" Oy. Very few critics of WASL claim the "bar" is set too high. Where did you hear this?! Most of us "critics" are yelling something entirely different. It's not about standards or a bar or how WASL measures academic success. We're upset because we believe this multi-billion dollar test is seriously flawed. I challenge you to find any educated citizen who believes we shouldn't have high standards. You make it sound like we're all sitting here whining because they're making our kids take a test that is too difficult. This is far from the truth! And your opinion about the new math standards is precisely what OSPI wants you to believe...that these new teaching methods will increase math proficiency. These new "methods" are nothing more than learning a better way to teach to the test. They involve more (if that's possible) sample WASL questions being used than a text book. They involve having teachers become experts on the WASL grading process...if they expertly know what the test is asking for, they can then effectively pass that one to the students. The new methods involve rearranging the order math concepts are taught. You're right...these changes would NOT have come about if the WASL didn't exist. It's insanity. You make it sound like good education. "

Ella Mentry wrote on Aug 29, 2008 7:55 AM:

" Should I remind everyone that for 12 years Terry Bergeson has "expressed confidence" in her test, revised standards, more revised standards, revised curriculum, revised math, revised teaching methods...and here we sit. Her words this week: "We've hit a wall with this thing." "

TDN Bad Boy wrote on Aug 29, 2008 8:48 AM:

" Absolutely right, 100 percent on the mark, TDN. Unfortunately you miss the mark by not seeking some reform in the pay increase structure. You want better results, the best way to do that is to tie pay increases to better district scores. Simple fact: Money is motivation. The WASL does set the bar higher. Unfortunately the state only requires that students perform better to reach their goals. There is no requirement for teachers and administrators to perform. The state education pay system is run by the WEA and it is time to stop that. We need a pay system for teachers based on merit, on job performance, and the WASL scores should be one of the top criteria. This is a statewide test and it is an excellent way to judge teachers. The fact that Longview was below the state average is an indication that teachers are not doing their job as well as teachers in other districts. Yet they get the same pay increase. That's simply insane. And as one Native American pointed out in the posts about the WASL scores, their kids average higher and the teachers make less. So those who argue that we get the quality of education we get because of how much less we pay the teachers are absolutely wrong. We get the quality because we don't tie pay to performance such as
WASL scores. Make that a criteria and watch the scores improve. Teachers understand money just like everyone else. "

An observer wrote on Aug 29, 2008 9:45 AM:

" TDN you really missed the boat this time,who wrote this article some overpayed administer who needs a "pat on the back".

The fact that WASL almost totally puts a halt to education for two weeks every year, the fact that teachers are forced to teach to the test, the fact that it has become a major reason for kids to drop out, the fact the millions on upon millions have been spent on it (look at your school cuts) The majority of students fail, this so called tool yearly,and this enough isn't proof that the WASL is an invalid testing device! To believe the skewed numbers of the Burgeson office is reason to question the article.

Other then OSPI propaganda, please print some finding telling the public that WASL is a valid test, I haven't seen any. The WASL belongs in the trash, and OSPI needs a house cleaning. "

TDN Bad Boy wrote on Aug 29, 2008 11:07 AM:

" Observer, no you totally missed the boat. This test doesn't just happen in Longview. It is throughout the state. That measures Longview kids against the state. That should be very important to you. Our kids who go to college or into the real world have to compete against the other kids. Now the WASL scores tell me that other kids in other districts are better educated. You show me a different measuring stick, one that is statewide and I might agree with you. But you don't have one. This is it. That is the point. Our scores are below average. The WASL isn't the problem. Something is wrong in our district, with our teachers. Other districs are succeeding. Other teachers are educating under the same requirements. That is the point. "

An observer wrote on Aug 29, 2008 11:52 AM:

" "BADBOY" The point is the WASl is an ivalid measure of student progress, wether it be in Longview, Spokane, Republic, or Blaine. The point is the State has and continues to waste funds on this measure. The point is creativity is being trashed so we can line all are kids in a straight row. Set standards, I have no problem with that but, if a measurment is needed use a cost effective, valid test! There could be a thousand reasons why other district scored better this year, I would rather compare S.A.T/A.C.T. scores or any other standarddized measure that has validation over the years. WASL has been changed but. never validated. "

Ella Mentry wrote on Aug 29, 2008 12:25 PM:

" Bad Boy, of course there are other assessments. You obviously haven't heard of the NAEP, which compares our kids with kids across the entire nation (Google Nation's Report Card). MOST critics of WASL aren't saying that assessments are evil. The message is simply, "NOT **THIS** TEST." Further, we aren't working our tails off to abolish WASL without an incredible amount of research into alternative assessments. I agree with Superintendent candidate, Randy Dorn, that MAP testing (with some modifications) would be far more appropriate and give us an even better picture of what our kids know (and how our teachers are doing!). It's extremely inexpensive, gives immediate results, and can instantly be compared across the state. Yes, WASL is the stick we currently have. To lie down and roll over because "we're stuck with it," is just absurd. Imagine where our country would be if no one ever challenged injustice. Really...try to picture it. "

TDN Bad Boy wrote on Aug 29, 2008 1:31 PM:

" Ella Mentry, I never said we couldn't make it better. And my point about it being the only one in the state is still valid. All the kids in the state take the same test at the same levels. You can argue all you want about its imperfections but the fact that all the kids are on the same playing field is what matters. In this state our district is below average. Is that what you want? I just wish we could go 10 years with a different approach to teach pay. If it were based on the same measuring sticks the kids are measured by our teachers would either have to improve or be gone. Right now we have no mechanism to make that happen. This is the measuring stick where you like it or not. If not work for your change but at the end of the day as long as we are tying teacher pay to the success rate of the kids, I have no problem with it. But if DO NOT dumb down the test, which to me is what a lot of the arguing is about now. I want the toughest test possible. That is how you educate kids -- by raising the bar and making them jump higher. Clear a higher bar and they will be more successful in life. Step over a ridicoulously low bar and they have accomplished nothing. "

Ella Mentry wrote on Aug 29, 2008 2:27 PM:

" Bad Boy, I get what you're saying. I understand that, whether or not we LIKE the test, it's the tool we use. What YOU don't seem to understand (especially when you start talking about using WASL scores to evaluate teacher performance) is that there is a DIRECT LINK BETWEEN POVERTY AND ENGLISH-LANGUAGE-LEARNERS (ELL) AND LOW WASL SCORES. OSPI just released the 2008 Student Achievement Progress Report, with an entire slide dedicated to this problem. It's just fact. OSPI gives us the numbers to prove it. Now that we agree on this, let's remember that many schools in our state have predominantly low-income or a HUGE percentage of their students who are ELL. Some schools have very few of these kids. Taking this into account, it is NOT reliable to say that a teacher at school A with 85% low income and 60% ELL is a WORSE teacher than a teacher at school B, which has 20% poverty, and 5% ELL. Do you understand why I'm opposed to your idea? Until this massive achievement gap is substantially closed (they're "working on it") we cannot make accurate comparisons. It's like comparing apples to oranges even though everyone took the same test. Does this make sense? If you were in charge, you'd award a teacher in a rich school, and fire a teacher who chose to make a difference in a poverty-stricken area. "

TDN Bad Boy wrote on Aug 29, 2008 3:17 PM:

" Ella Mentry, I'll bet I can go on the state list and find communities in Eastern Washington with higher scores and lower economics. Care to take that bet. So come on. All you are doing is making excuses. There are districts right around here that got higher scores. Like I said you are just making excuses because you don't want your pay tied to the WASL. You want the blanket raises that the Liberals in Olympia sacrifice to your union. Do you think we get better teachers because we pay the same as the rich school. If I were a SMART teacher, why wouldn't I just go to the rich districts anyway? Afterall that has to be the easiest job of all, according to you. So in reality what you are telling me is that our teachers are not smart enough to be teaching at the rich districts. So they come here, hide in a system that offers pay increases for mediocrity and then try to blame the system when the their students do not perform as well on the state tests. Look, we've tried the Liberal Demoncrat-WEA way and it is failing our district. We need to fire everybody and start over with a pay scale that is tied to merit. Then if we fail that you can you were right. Right now the system in place is a failure. "

November 2009
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
8 9 10 11 12 13 14
15 16 17 18 19 20 21
22 23 24 25 26 27 28
29 30

›› Today's Events
›› Submit An Event

View All Events

Top Jobs
More Top Jobs
Top Garage Sales
More Top Garage Sales
Top Rentals
More Top Rentals