Parents won’t know by then how their child did on the WASL, but starting Sept. 1 they can put in a request to see whether he doodled or deliberated in his test booklet.
Scores from last spring’s Washington Assessment of Student Learning, which were taken by more than 500,000 students in third through 10th grades, will be released in early September.
Families should receive their child’s score reports in the mail by Sept. 22.
Completed test booklets are considered part of a student’s formal education record and can be viewed by parents or legal guardians on request. Last year, the state pulled more than 500 test records from storage for parents to view.
Many more parents are expected to take up the option this year, now that the WASL is required for graduation.
For the first time this year, parents of students who took the 10th-grade exam also can appeal the scores if they find reason to challenge them.
Most of the state’s 10th-graders have already received their scores, thanks to an early release last June. Full results – including those for students with special needs and science scores – will be released in September.
Granite Falls High School student Janey Wahl, 16, found out she failed the math exam last spring, even though she considers herself a good math student. She’s taken advanced classes since middle school.
Her mother, Danna Wahl, said she wants to review Janey’s exam as soon as she can. She hopes to find clarity about why her daughter fell short and appeal the results if needed.
“I’ll be curious to see what it is, exactly,” Wahl said of the WASL.
Viewing the secretive WASL tests occurs under a veil of security.
No cell phones are allowed. No notes can be taken. And parents must sign a document acknowledging that they will be charged with a misdemeanor and fined up to $500 for sharing a test’s content with others.
Students also are not allowed to see the tests, unless they are 18 years old and make the request themselves.
Parents can bring an advocate with them, such as an interpreter.
“What a bunch of rigmarole,” Wahl said. “It’s going to be a lot more involved process than I thought, for sure.”
Only 10th-grade scores in reading, writing or math – the tests required for graduation – can be appealed.
Requests must be made through the state Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction. The state then has 45 days to pull a student’s test booklet. Parents view the test through their local school district, which will have staff on hand to answer questions.
Parents can see how their child answered a question and how many points were earned. But no answer guides are provided.
The state is trying to strike a balance between giving parents access and keeping test information secure, said Joe Willhoft, the state’s assistant superintendent for assessment. Many questions on the WASL are reused, he said.
“We want to be fair,” he said.
Scores can only be appealed based on technical errors.
The state gives the following examples: eraser marks, incorrect labeling, answer sheet mistakes, miscalculation, lightly marked bubbles on multiple choice items or errors on open-ended items.
Parents would not be able to challenge the design of the WASL, for example.
The guidelines also guard against nit-picking. Appeals are only accepted if, should they be successful, it would mean a student would pass the test.
If the review results in a lower score, the higher score will be kept, Willhoft said.
Reporter Melissa Slager: 425-339-3465 or mslager@ heraldnet.com.
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