State schools boss aims to cut 2 graduation exams
SEATTLE (AP) - Washington state is tops in the nation for something many students, educators and parents would like to change - the number of tests required to earn a high school diploma.
Starting with this year's sophomores, Washington will be the only state to require students to pass five different tests to graduate. Nine states have four graduation exams. Four states have three such tests. Ten states have one or two. In 26 states, high school students don't have to pass any exams to graduate.
Every state has to test its students in reading and math, but they get to decide whether to use those tests as a graduation requirement and whether to add other subjects like writing and science to the mix, as Washington has.
Superintendent of Public Instruction Randy Dorn would like to see Washington save money and time by dropping down to three graduation exams and by transferring most grading of a test alternative known as the "collection of evidence" to local school districts.
House Bill 1450, which would make these changes, is scheduled to be heard Friday in the House Education Committee. Dorn said the bottom line is: Are students learning more in Washington because they have to take high school exit exams?
"I can't see a difference," he said earlier this week.
That's exactly what the state teachers union, the Washington Education Association, has been saying for years. There's too much emphasis on testing and the tests aren't benefiting children, WEA President Mary Lindquist has said repeatedly.
"We need to have high standards for our kids, and we want them to be achieving at a high level. Testing and testing and more testing is not going to get us to that goal," Lindquist said Thursday.
It's time to take a closer look at how much the state is spending on testing and then analyze the impact, Lindquist said. She has heard each test costs as much as $100 million to administer. Dorn, in his analysis, cites a potential yearly savings in the state budget of $20 million.
To earn a diploma in Washington, students also need to earn a certain array of credits, complete a senior project and compose a plan for what they plan to do after high school.
In addition to the five Washington graduation tests - reading, writing, algebra, geometry and biology - this year's 10th graders are expected to pass, two new high school tests are about to be added to that list.
The state recently decided to embrace new national academic standards and there will soon be two 11th-grade tests - not graduation requirements - to test their knowledge in language arts and math.
Dorn's proposal would eventually replace the reading and writing test with a combined exam that he thinks could be the national test on English language arts. He would eliminate the geometry test as a graduation requirement, but keep algebra and biology.
Lindquist has an alternative proposal.
"Our standards are in transition. Our tests are based on old standards. Maybe it's time to call a moratorium on high-stakes testing," she said, adding that she would use the money the state saves to decrease class sizes in the lower grades.
At its last meeting, the State Board of Education endorsed Dorn's plan to decrease the number of state graduation tests and also wants to keep thinking about how Washington should use the new national tests, said Executive Director Ben Rarick.
"They also reaffirmed that tests should continue to be part of the graduation requirements," Rarick added.
Confused parents may be interested in another proposal, Senate Bill 5366, which would demand school districts and state education officials do a better job of communicating about school testing.
Sen. Christine Rolfes, D-Bainbridge Island, said the idea for that proposal came from parents and students who say there are so many tests they don't know the purpose of them. They also are confused about graduation requirements, she said.
Starting with this year's sophomores, Washington will be the only state to require students to pass five different tests to graduate. Nine states have four graduation exams. Four states have three such tests. Ten states have one or two. In 26 states, high school students don't have to pass any exams to graduate.
Every state has to test its students in reading and math, but they get to decide whether to use those tests as a graduation requirement and whether to add other subjects like writing and science to the mix, as Washington has.
Superintendent of Public Instruction Randy Dorn would like to see Washington save money and time by dropping down to three graduation exams and by transferring most grading of a test alternative known as the "collection of evidence" to local school districts.
House Bill 1450, which would make these changes, is scheduled to be heard Friday in the House Education Committee. Dorn said the bottom line is: Are students learning more in Washington because they have to take high school exit exams?
"I can't see a difference," he said earlier this week.
That's exactly what the state teachers union, the Washington Education Association, has been saying for years. There's too much emphasis on testing and the tests aren't benefiting children, WEA President Mary Lindquist has said repeatedly.
"We need to have high standards for our kids, and we want them to be achieving at a high level. Testing and testing and more testing is not going to get us to that goal," Lindquist said Thursday.
It's time to take a closer look at how much the state is spending on testing and then analyze the impact, Lindquist said. She has heard each test costs as much as $100 million to administer. Dorn, in his analysis, cites a potential yearly savings in the state budget of $20 million.
To earn a diploma in Washington, students also need to earn a certain array of credits, complete a senior project and compose a plan for what they plan to do after high school.
In addition to the five Washington graduation tests - reading, writing, algebra, geometry and biology - this year's 10th graders are expected to pass, two new high school tests are about to be added to that list.
The state recently decided to embrace new national academic standards and there will soon be two 11th-grade tests - not graduation requirements - to test their knowledge in language arts and math.
Dorn's proposal would eventually replace the reading and writing test with a combined exam that he thinks could be the national test on English language arts. He would eliminate the geometry test as a graduation requirement, but keep algebra and biology.
Lindquist has an alternative proposal.
"Our standards are in transition. Our tests are based on old standards. Maybe it's time to call a moratorium on high-stakes testing," she said, adding that she would use the money the state saves to decrease class sizes in the lower grades.
At its last meeting, the State Board of Education endorsed Dorn's plan to decrease the number of state graduation tests and also wants to keep thinking about how Washington should use the new national tests, said Executive Director Ben Rarick.
"They also reaffirmed that tests should continue to be part of the graduation requirements," Rarick added.
Confused parents may be interested in another proposal, Senate Bill 5366, which would demand school districts and state education officials do a better job of communicating about school testing.
Sen. Christine Rolfes, D-Bainbridge Island, said the idea for that proposal came from parents and students who say there are so many tests they don't know the purpose of them. They also are confused about graduation requirements, she said.
I love it, bashing the educators instead of blaming the parents or the fact that most failing schools have children that need early intervention. Some of the title 1 schools lose good students because the staff is dealing with ESL issues or trying to get past the lack of early learning. If you want the children to do better become a reading buddy or a mentor fill that role of a responsible adult and someone to look up too. Why punish a child who can't score high overall on a state test because he or she isnt capable by letting them fail without the extra help. Yeah that's right, that's what the districts do because it's state mandated. These kids suffer further by having to take extra classes in middle school and high school for the areas they do poorly on (classes like math and science where they fail)
Why hide the fact that the kids don't get an education. It is a sham with benefits to the legislature and teachers union.
Just lower the standards, yet again. What could possibly go wrong?
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Reason #64 that my kids will never set foot in a WA public school. My dog could graduate from our current schools.
Yes! Standardized tests are a poor reflection of whether a student is ready to graduate. Everyone tests differently, and some do not perform well, or perform very well in some areas and fail in others. Standardized tests are just that, too standard. Not everyone performs equally well across all platforms. Many students do very well in some areas and poorly in others, should they not graduate? I think they should. My fiance is in his first year as a phD student in Biology. Since we graduated in 2007, we did not have to pass the WASL, or any other test to graduate. Thank god, because my fiance cannot write to save his life, though with commitment he is improving. He has to run an audio program to listen to papers to correct mistakes. He does not standardize test well period, much less in the english department. If he had had to pass 5 tests, I wonder if he would have made it, but look where he is today.
 @Katelyn H Will he dictate all his notes? Why doesn't Johnny read?
@contraryjim Really just because a person can't write doesn't mean that can't read or do math. I know because my son is that way and we have known about his articulation issue since pre k that it would impact his writing. His reading and math are above grade level and his writing is below. So your comment contraryjim is out of line about things you know nothing about.
Good- get rid of them. There are so many tests at the same time seniors are trying to take college entrance exams-- there is just too much to keep track of. Â Just let the grades speak for themselves...
This directly affects my kids - one because he is doing all the testing now, (we've been through all the "end of course" exams). My youngest will be the one who may or may not have to take all these "end of course" exams. As my oldest began moving up the grades, there were more and more tests.
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I have not done the research, but I wonder what happened to: you either A) Study hard/get good grades/graduate/go to college or, B) Slack/get bad grades or fail/maybe or maybe not graduate/not get into any colleges besides community colleges? What is wrong with that? You get out what you put in. Why all the testing? If they don't know the stuff, they get bad grades and it DOES affect them.
Yer an idiot Randy. Much like the idiot you replaced, and the idiots that voted for you.
When does the madness end?
Our kids are failing. The teachers can't even get the kids to pass tests they know the answers to. It's been going on for years. Where have you been?
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Let me guess... More money/taxes will make it all better. Making our children dumber (more dependent) is a good thing.
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I said it a long time ago... You SUCK Randy!
You have NO concept of educating our children and this article proves the point.
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MORE government, LESS accountability, and the results you 'profess' will help dumb down the future leaders we hope will save our state and our nation.
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Thank you ignorant voters. Your time is coming. You'll be the first to be assimilated.
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Idiots.
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The greatest things that can be taught to kids after 8th grade would be how to research and find answers. How to think out of the box and what to do if you have a really good idea. And last but no least a skill they can support themselves with.
Lets see. Tests costing 100 million dollars to administer by persons already getting paid to do nothing but administer tests. Typical government number. Can't do anything with six zeros behind it. AND I CALL BS.
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As to the tests themselves, these tests only prove how wasteful our so called EDUCATED elite really are in Washington state.
 @snow surfer Do you throw the test away every year . You can't make in house changes yearly.
What happened to work hard all year long, get good grades in your classes and graduate when you completed your senior year.  As opposed to screw off, have a good time and at the eleventh hour try to pass a a dumbed down test that nobody can agree, because it's stupid. And if you pass it doesn't mean you are qualified to continue with your education.
How about we get rid of the state run school scam and turn it over the the local school districts. Then the people can move to the area they want to get a better education and have more influance on what the school will put as a priority rather than the state telling the whole state what to do with their money....
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 @bustedupredneck How you know were the schools are that have the smarter kids. They got bigger trophy's. How dose any know what the kids have learned.
 @bustedupredneck To me the school board is like government and money, just kick the can down the road and the kids are out of school.
Thanks, Randy. I'll drink to that!
Great no tests get a trophy instead your out of our hair. You are all equal