Most Snohomish County schools are sticking to paper and pencils instead of computers on state exams this spring.
The state plans to pilot online reading and math tests in the sixth through eighth grades on the Measurements of Student Progress, which will replace WASL exams.
Eight school districts in the county volunteered for computer testing, but only the Stanwood School District will have all three grades take the reading and math exams online in each of its middle school programs.
Michael Olson, an assistant superintendent in the Stanwood School District who also is serving as principal at Port Susan Middle School, said he believes the students are ready for the change.
Stanwood had a small group of students take sample questions online.
“The kids said, ‘We can do this,’ ” Olson said.
Students in Stanwood begin taking reading and math assessments on the computer by the second grade.
Most of the districts that signed up are only having sixth-graders put online tests to the test.
In the Mukilteo School District, all four middle schools will have sixth-graders participate.
Five districts — Darrington, Everett, Lakewood, Marysville and Sultan — will not pilot the online testing this spring.
Across the state, 364 schools, nearly 27 percent of schools statewide with sixth through eighth grades, are participating. State Superintendent Randy Dorn pushed for online state testing when he took office in January 2009.
The testing window for the paper-and-pencil exams is May 12 to 28. The testing window for the online version is from May 3 to June 4.
Eric Stevick: 425-339-3446, stevick@heraldnet.com.
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