What Parents Need to Know About the WASL

What Parents Need to Know About the WASL

As the scores for the Washington State Assessment of Student Learning were released in September 1998, Dr Terry Bergeson, Superintendent of Public Instruction, and Governor Gary Locke made claims of great strides on the 4th Grade Assessment. Their claims are gravely overblown and should be of concern to every parent.

Because the WASL is subjective, and the scoring of the WASL is equally as subjective, there are several criteria that govern the comparability of the scores, one year to the next:

Were the assessments scored the same? In a word — no. In 1997, the assessment scores were figured using eligible enrollment and inclusive of all populations. In 1998, the assessment scores were figured using the actual number who took the test with special populations excluded. The point difference is noted below. Removing the special populations from the scoring would dramatically increase the scores for both the district and the state. This makes any comparison of the scores impossible. But in charts and graphs produced by OSPI for the occasion of Bergeson's "state of education" speech and as released to the press, last years scores were compared to this years scores, with the difference hailed as an improvement in the scores.

Last Years Scores figured first on eligible enrollment, then on actual number tested (inclusive of all populations):

	Eligible Enr	Actual # Tested	Difference
Math	21.1	21.0	+.8
Reading	47.0	50.3	+3.3
Writing	41.7	47.2	+5.5
Listening	61.3	64.7	+3.4

Bear in mind that the difference in scores shown above still includes special populations.

Now this years scores, figured on actual number tested and excluding special populations who, historically have been low achievers, dragging down scores:

	Actual # Tested	Point* Difference
Math	31.2	+9.3
Reading	55.6	+5.3
Writing	36.7	-10.5
Listening	71.3	+6.6

*This point difference would be easily eradicated (in the case of math, reading, and listening), or increased (in the case of writing), were the scores of the special populations and those given special accommodation also included.

Were the same cut scores used to establish the standards (the line between pass and fail)? Yes, they were. The cut score is how many points (out of the number possible) the child had to receive in order to meet the standard (achieve a Level 3).

The 1997 and 1998 cut scores (pass/fail) were …

	1997		1998
Math	40 of a possible 62 points	65%	40 of a possible 62 points	65%
Reading	31 of a possible 43 points	72%	31 of a possible 43 points	72%
Writing	9 of a possible 12 points	75%	9 of a possible 12 points	75%
Listening	7 of a possible 10 points	70%	7 of a possible 10 points	70%

Were the same rubrics used? Indications are that different rubrics were used this year to score the assessment.

Were the same caliber of questions used? In a Seattle Times article, printed September 9, 1998, indication is given that the caliber of questions was different this year from last.

Were any questions from last years test used on this years test? If so, how many? Last spring, while in Spokane, Bergeson told a group of teachers that there would be a core group of questions on the test this year that most of the children got right last year. This immediately speaks to the credibility and reliability of the test as it represents official tampering to manipulate the outcome.

Were there any special accommodations given to children taking the test? Our information is that some children were given helpers — people who read the questions to the children and wrote down the answers.

Each of these criteria directly affects the comparability of the tests one year to the next as well as the reliability and credibility of the tests.

It is also of note that in 1998, the scores of the private and parochial schools were not published. Last year these same schools shown a bright light on the failure of the public schools. Is it any wonder OSPI doesn't want the private and parochial school scores published?

Due to the criteria above, the WASL is neither reliable nor valid. Parents need to know that the test is not an accurate measure of their child's ability to grasp and apply knowledge and concepts.

Beyond this, parents also need to know that the WASL is not about knowledge or the application of knowledge, it is about process — does the child demonstrate the wanted process in accordance with the given prompt or trigger. This is why children are given one point for getting the right answer and three or four points if they used the wanted process to come up with the wrong answer.

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