Published: Tuesday, March 17, 2009
WASL math rule clarified
OLYMPIA -- A state Senate committee passed legislation Monday to eliminate a requirement that threatens to keep hundreds of high school seniors from obtaining diplomas.
Those students did not take the math portion of the Washington Assessment of Student Learning in the spring of 2008, wrongly assuming they could skip the test and meet requirements for graduation by passing math classes through their senior year.
Under existing law, they needed to retake the math WASL once a year through their senior year while continuing to take math classes.
House Bill 1562 would clear the books by immediately suspending the requirement for students to take the math WASL annually. The measure says if students take it once and don't pass, that's good enough -- at least until 2012, when passing a standardized test becomes mandatory.
The Senate Early Learning and K-12 Committee unanimously approved the bill. It now goes to the Rules Committee, which could put it to a full Senate vote this week and send it to the governor.
Committee chairwoman Sen. Rosemary McAuliffe, D-Bothell, said the Senate is trying to "fast track" the bill "so we can notify kids. This is March and we want them to graduate in June."
The House passed the bill 97-0 on March 3.
State schools Superintendent Randy Dorn proposed an overhaul of state exams by next year, including dumping the WASL and replacing it with new assessments in reading, writing, math and science.
Jerry Cornfield: 360-352-8623, jcornfield@heraldnet.com.
Those students did not take the math portion of the Washington Assessment of Student Learning in the spring of 2008, wrongly assuming they could skip the test and meet requirements for graduation by passing math classes through their senior year.
Under existing law, they needed to retake the math WASL once a year through their senior year while continuing to take math classes.
House Bill 1562 would clear the books by immediately suspending the requirement for students to take the math WASL annually. The measure says if students take it once and don't pass, that's good enough -- at least until 2012, when passing a standardized test becomes mandatory.
The Senate Early Learning and K-12 Committee unanimously approved the bill. It now goes to the Rules Committee, which could put it to a full Senate vote this week and send it to the governor.
Committee chairwoman Sen. Rosemary McAuliffe, D-Bothell, said the Senate is trying to "fast track" the bill "so we can notify kids. This is March and we want them to graduate in June."
The House passed the bill 97-0 on March 3.
State schools Superintendent Randy Dorn proposed an overhaul of state exams by next year, including dumping the WASL and replacing it with new assessments in reading, writing, math and science.
Jerry Cornfield: 360-352-8623, jcornfield@heraldnet.com.
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