As a delay on the math WASL graduation requirement moves ahead, some school districts are making a late push to push back reading and writing, too.
Superintendents in Edmonds and Everett are among more than 40 school district leaders who have signed a petition seeking a two-year delay from Gov. Chris Gregoire and the Legislature.
They cite particularly low passing scores on the Washington Assessment of Student Learning among Hispanic immigrants and children from poor families.
Statewide, limited English speakers made up one-eighth of all students who failed the writing WASL last spring and one-seventh of those who failed reading. Low-income students made up nearly half of those who failed each test.
“There’s a concern that it’s obviously not their fault that they’re not passing, and the consequence should be more focused instruction and not denial of a diploma,” Edmonds Superintendent Nick Brossoit said.
Overall passing rates for reading and writing are high, especially compared to math. Statewide, 82 percent of sophomores last spring passed the reading WASL and 80 percent passed writing, compared to a 51 percent passing rate in math.
School leaders have said curriculum overhauls in reading and writing were quicker to take hold, while math remains a puzzle.
But Everett Superintendent Carol Whitehead said that progress hasn’t translated for every student.
In her district, students still learning English made up 5 percent of last year’s sophomore class. Of those 70 students, 69 percent failed the reading WASL and 73 percent failed writing.
Low-income students made up about one-quarter of last spring’s sophomore class, more than 330 students. Of those, 38 percent failed reading and 41 percent failed writing.
“These particular students should have every opportunity to be successful in life. They started out with a deficit. … We just want to make sure they get their fair shake,” Whitehead said.
The petition calls for delaying the reading and writing requirements overall, not just for specific groups.
“Just to say we’re going to exempt or waive some students from this requirement and hold other students accountable for it, it probably would not be received well or understood,” Whitehead said.
Educators have state Sen. Rosemary McAuliffe, D-Bothell, in their corner.
McAuliffe said students who show up, do the work and earn the credits to graduate “should have the same rights as the kids who struggle with math.”
“I won’t do one without the other. It’s not fair,” she said.
But it will be a tough sell to Gregoire, who has been adamant about holding the line on reading and writing. Negotiations are to continue this week in the Legislature.
“They’ve asked me to think about it. I said I will,” Gregoire said.
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