Seattle Times Editorial about the WASL writing exam.
WASL
The WASL as we knew it is being phased out. We don’t yet know whether the new assessments will be an improvement. Here are reports, analyses, letters, articles, and commentaries from the WASL era. They will explain some of the issues surrounding the WASL, and will help explain the reason for the changes in the new assessments.
Besides not being valid or reliable, or cost-effective, the WASL also brings up ethical issues.
A 4th grade student was suspended for 5 days in the Aberdeen School District. For what heinous behavior? For not answering a WASL question. Read the KOMOTV4 article, and judge for yourself how YOU would answer this WASL question.
Tags: (question, suspended, WASL)
Parent Empowerment Network responds to the Aberdeen School District’s action of suspending a 4th grade student for not answering a WASL question–a press release from Parent Empowerment Network, May 2005.
The Fordham Foundation regularly rates the education standards of every state in the Union. The state assessments (e.g. the WASL) are written to assess those learning standards. Washington received “F” grades in English and Math.
How are subjective assessments like the WASL scored? A scorer for WASL-type assessments, discusses his experiences. February 2005
A 2002 paper by Dr. Donald Orlich, Professor Emeritus, Science Mathematics Engineering Education Center at Washington State University, Pullman.
Analysis of a 10th grade WASL question, from June 18, 2002.
CURE responds to Superintendent Terry Bergeson’s remarks on the WASL. February 2001