The Washington Assessment of Student Learning, in place since 1997, was replaced last year with two tests: the Measurements of Student Progress, or MSP, for students in grades three through eight, and the High School Proficiency Exam, or HSPE, for 10th-graders.
Whose idea was this?
Many educators said the WASL took too much time away from teaching.
Superintendent of Public Instruction Randy Dorn, elected in 2008, campaigned on a platform that included new, shorter tests to replace the WASL. He also began introducing online testing last spring, as a pilot program.
Analysis of scores of students taking the tests online compared with those taking it with pencil and paper showed no significant differences, state officials say.
How do the MSP and HSPE differ from the old test?
Both new tests have fewer long-form, “explain your answer”-type questions. Reading, math and science tests are administered in one day, rather than the two days used for WASL testing. Writing still is a two-day test.
Are the new tests easier?
State education officials say they are different, but just as rigorous as the old tests.
How can MSP and HSPE scores be compared with WASL scores?
Scores for all three tests are reported as the percentage of students who met standards.
When did students take the MSP and HSPE tests?
Testing occurs in the spring, and results are released to the public in the fall. Parents also receive test scores for their child in the fall. Individual MSP and HSPE reports should be coming to parents by mid-September, state education officials say.
Can I see my own child’s MSP or HSPE test?
Yes. Details are on the OSPI website, at www.k12.wa.us. Click “Assessments,” then “State Testing,” then “See Your Child’s Test.”
Why are these tests important?
They help teachers know where instruction is working and where there are weak spots. Students must pass the HSPE to graduate from high school. The tests also are used as a measure of school progress under the federal No Child Left Behind Act.
Are the tests changing again next year?
Yes. Next year, high school students will take end-of-course algebra and geometry tests, instead of the more general math test used in years past.
What is adequate yearly progress?
It is the measure of how well schools are doing at meeting accountability goals under the federal No Child Left Behind Act.
How does AYP work?
Districts and schools are rated on several measures, including test scores on reading and math, graduation rates and attendance rates. If a school misses the mark in even one category, it does not make AYP.
AYP also looks at how students in various racial groups improve. It also measures progress for limited English speakers, low-income kids and special education students
What happens if a school fails to make AYP?
Districts or schools that receive federal Title I money for low-income students face sanctions if they fail to make AYP for two or more years in a row. Sanctions can require the school to notify parents that their child is enrolled in a school that failed to make AYP. Schools can also be required to transport students to more successful schools. Schools that continually fail to meet AYP goals can eventually face major restructuring, but this rarely occurs.
How do AYP goals change?
They rise progressively every three years. Washington state is in the midpoint of this three-year cycle.
Aren’t many schools failing to make the grade, according to AYP?
This year, 968 schools statewide did not meet AYP. A total of 1,143 did. Those numbers are better than last year’s, when nearly 1,100 schools failed to meet AYP.
Debbie Cafazzo, staff writer
