Everett, Wash.
Published: Saturday, January 19, 2008

Bill to delay reading, writing WASL on table in Olympia

Associated Press

 OLYMPIA -- Gov. Chris Gregoire has promised to veto any further delays in the Washington Assessment of Student Learning as a graduation requirement, but that hasn't stopped a group of lawmakers from introducing a bill to postpone the reading and writing portions of the exam.

The bill is scheduled to be discussed Monday at a hearing before the Senate Education Committee, whose chair is a co-sponsor of the measure.

Sen. Rosemary McAuliffe, D-Bothell, told the Columbian newspaper of Vancouver she isn't optimistic about its chances.

"Will the delay bill go through?" McAuliffe asked. "I don't even know if I could get it out of committee."

Sen. Craig Pridemore, D-Vancouver, another co-sponsor, said he'll do anything he can to decrease the WASL's impact on kids.

"The problems of kids are the greatest problems of adults to fix. Punishing children for those problems is immoral," Pridemore said.

More than 85 percent of this year's seniors -- the first class required to pass the reading and writing portions of the WASL to graduate -- have already passed those tests, noted Thomas Shapley, a spokesman for the office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction.

"Ten years ago, if you'd told people that 85 percent of the kids would have passed the testing requirement, they would have thought you were nuts," Shapley said. "We've come so far and had such great success. It would be a pity to turn back."

The 2007 Legislature delayed the math and science sections of the WASL as a graduation requirement until 2013.

Lawmakers authorized $12.1 million last year to help 12th graders who had not passed the WASL's reading and writing portions.

The House Education Committee has been exploring additional ways to help schools push their high school students toward meeting state standards.

House Education Chairman Dave Quall, D-Mount Vernon, told The Olympian newspaper he supports the idea of giving schools more leeway on how they spend the WASL assistance money.

For instance, a school district may be able to make more of a difference by using the money to help struggling students in the ninth grade, Quall said. He said state schools chief Terry Bergeson supports that idea.

Quall said he expected the efforts to delay the writing and reading sections of the test to be concentrated in the Senate.

"I don't know if there is momentum. But let me put it this way. There are many thoughtful educators who say that to use a single test that determines whether you get a diploma is not a good idea," Quall said.
© 2009The Daily Herald Co., Everett, WA