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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Seniors who failed biology assessment test would get diplomas under new deal

Rogers High School. (Colin Mulvany / The Spokesman-Review)

OLYMPIA – High school seniors who failed to pass a biology assessment test this year are likely holding their breath and crossing their fingers, wondering if their diplomas will materialize.

The verdict is in, and they can breathe out and uncross.

Odds are pretty good they’ll be full-fledged high school graduates in a couple of weeks, thanks to a deal legislators announced Thursday that makes changes to the testing system.

If you haven’t passed your math or English language assessment test, however, you’ll still need to do more to get that diploma.

Members of the class of 2017 who failed the biology assessment test but had all other requirements to graduate will get their diplomas. Lawmakers agreed to “de-link” that test from graduation requirements through 2021.

Those who didn’t pass the math or English assessment test will have more chances to demonstrate they are proficient in those subjects. Starting in 2019, those tests will be given during students’ sophomore years, and those who fail will have more time and options to demonstrate proficiency if they fail.

Starting with the graduating class of 2021, students will have to pass a comprehensive science exam geared to the class’s current science curriculum. One of the criticisms of the biology test was that it was out of sync with the state’s biology curriculum.

Parents, educators and some legislators have been critical of the assessment tests overall as a graduation requirement because they were designed to show how well the school was doing at teaching those subjects, not to measure a student’s knowledge.

Republicans and Democrats from the House and Senate worked out a compromise bill after each chamber repeatedly passed its own version but refused to vote on the other’s bill. The compromise legislation is expected to come to a vote next week.