Sophomores across the state were the first to ‘test’ the new and improved graduation required reading and writing exams put forth by the Office of the State Superintendent.

During the week of March 15, students were introduced to the new High School Proficiency Exam (HSPE), which now replaces the WASL testing of the past.

Measurements of Student Progress (MSP) exams will take place in May and will test students from third to eighth grade.

Changing the graduation required exams was one of State Superintendent Randy Dorn’s top priorities when taking office in 2009. Making the exams shorter and tied to technology was part of the change envisioned.
“I delivered on my promise to make changes to our state test,” Dorn said in a statement.
Both the HSPE and the MSP will consist of multiple choice and short-answer questions and will both be shorter than the WASL, taking only one session to administer as opposed to two.

The HSPE writing exam, continues to include two essay questions and will take two sessions to administer.
“By shortening the tests, it leaves more time for classroom instruction and it helps alleviate the common complaint of testing fatigue,” Dorn said. “Our academic standards have not changed, so the exams are still as rigorous as ever. But we feel this is a more common sense approach to testing our students.”
Sophomore testing went well in Lake Stevens, however, the timing did not go as planned.

“The testing went well although the sections took longer than expected to complete,” Lake Stevens School District Community Relations Director Arlene Hulten said.

In early May, around 25 percent of students in the sixth, seventh and eighth grades will be able to take the MSP math and reading tests online.

In the next few years, students will also see end-of-course exams in math and science.
The end-of-course math exams will include Algebra I/Integrated 1 and Geometry/Integrated 2. These tests will be given at the end of the 2010-2011 school year.

The state legislature is also expected to direct the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction to begin the development of an end-of-course biology exam for the 2011-12 school year and possibly additional end-of-course exams in earth science and physical science in future years.

New high school science learning standards will be tested for the first time in spring 2012.
For more information on the new testing procedures visit www.WAtesting.com.

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