[schu]

It seems to me that there are a couple of problems:

The WASL holds students and hence teachers accountable. Therefore if the students are scoring low, which they are, the teachers are made to look bad. Parents (myself included) are asking why we have students that cannot pass the WASL. This makes teachers look bad.

At the same time the WASL and the idea of teaching to the WASL, which is happening big time, is a hindrance to teachers doing their job. So good teachers do not like it because they are being told what to teach and they know it is counterproductive for the students. Furthermore it is taking a huge chunk of the education $$ because it is a political hot potato.

Standardized testing is the enemy of the teachers union, for that reason it should stay. It is a lousy test however. But the WEA so controls the WA State Demo party that Queen Christine has a BIG problem.

When they start calling for a new standardized test what they really want is another 5 years to get it done where they will not be accountable.

FWIIW.

schu

[lkco]

I may be naive but I still don't get why kids are scoring poorly on the WASL. I have 4 kids in public schools. My first has extreme math anxiety and has always scored 4’s (although one was a low 4). My second is dyslexic off the charts, but has always scored high 4’s in reading and writing. The younger two haven't started WASL yet, but their impression is that it's an easy school week with less homework and extra time to read and sleep (with extra snacks at school).

I don't see why the WASL has become such an issue. Before we moved here to WA my kids did the Iowa test every year ... I didn't hear many complaints (except it was more of an IQ test than a learning test). I still don't get why teachers and unions and parents get so passionate about this WASL ... don't tell me that classroom time is so precious that kids can't afford to miss any of it for WASL. Good teachers still get the job done.