WASL Information
Timetables and Calendars
The following documents list the timetables and calendars for students taking the WASL. The documents are in the Microsoft Word (.doc) format. If you do not have Microsoft Word installed on your computer, you can download a Word document viewer on Microsoft's website by visiting the following link:
Microsoft Office Word Viewer 2003 for Windows
Note: Microsoft currently does not make a Word viewer program for Macintosh users. If you do not have Microsoft Word installed on your Macintosh, you should have received some type of word processing software with your computer, such as AppleWorks, which will be able to convert these files to a format you can read.
Past WASL Results
WASL results are available by contacting the district office or by visiting the report card information for the Adna School District at OSPI's website. The following link will take you to OSPI's website:
Current Report Card Information
Background Information
"The Washington Assessment of Student Learning (WASL) was implemented in response to the state’s Education Reform Law of 1993, which required that the state create an assessment system to:
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test all public school students across the state, including students with disabilities and students with limited English proficiency
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be administered annually in selected grades
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measure performance based on the Essential Academic Learning Requirements, the state’s learning standards
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report on the performance of individual students, schools and districts
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serve as one basis of accountability for students, schools, and districts (for example, grade 10 students must pass the WASL tests as one condition of eligibility for earning a high school diploma)
In addition to meeting the requirements of the Education Reform Law, the WASL tests also fulfill the requirements of the federal No Child Left Behind (NCLB) law. NCLB requires annual assessments in reading and mathematics for students in grades 3-8 and high school. Students also must be tested annually in science in an elementary school grade, a middle school grade and a high school (10-12) grade. This requirement is fulfilled in Washington by testing students in grades 5, 8 and high school.
Student, school, and district scores are reported for the operational assessments. The state-level operational test forms are standardized and "on demand" meaning all students respond to the same questions, under the same conditions, and at the same time during the school year.
All of the state-level assessments are untimed; that is, students may have as much time as they reasonably need to complete their work. Guidelines for providing accommodations to students with special needs have been developed to encourage the inclusion of as many students as possible. Special need students include those in special education programs, those with Section 504 plans, English language learners (ESL/bilingual), migrant students, and highly capable students. A broad range of accommodations allows nearly all students access to some or all parts of the assessment (see Guidelines for Inclusion and Accommodations for Special Populations on State-Level Assessments).
Classroom teachers and curriculum specialists from across Washington were selected to assist with the development of the questions for the state-level assessments. Two content committees were created at each grade level--one for reading/writing/communication and one for mathematics. Working with content and assessment specialists from the Riverside Publishing Company (the primary assessment development contractor), these committees defined the test and item specifications consistent with the EALRs, reviewed all questions prior to pilot testing, and provided final review and approval of all questions after pilot testing. A separate "fairness" committee, composed of individuals reflective of Washington's diversity, also reviewed all questions for words or content that might be offensive to students or parents, or might disadvantage some students for reasons unrelated to the skill or concept being assessed.
Literally hundreds of questions were developed and pilot-tested to create a "pool" of questions. This allows the creation of new forms of the assessment each year by sampling from the pool. Statistical "equating" procedures are used to maintain the same performance standard from year to year and to provide longitudinal comparisons across years even though different questions are used.
The state-level assessments in reading, communication, and mathematics include a mix of multiple-choice, short-answer, and extended-response questions. Having a large pool of questions provides the opportunity to vary the kinds of questions from year to year so that a particular question format (e.g. multiple-choice, short-answer, or extended-response) is not always associated with the same EALRs" (WA OSPI).
All students are required to pass the WASL in order to graduate from the Adna School District. Please visit the following website for more information on the WASL.
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