WASL testing begins Monday for 10th-graders

It’s time for Washington students to sharpen their pencils.

On Monday the state’s 10th-graders will begin taking the reading and writing portions of the Washington Assessment of Student Learning, or WASL. The test will continue through March 20. The math and science exams are scheduled for April 17-20 this year.

WASL testing for students in grades three through eight will begin on April 16, and continue through May 4.

The high-stakes exam is a requirement for graduation and is the state’s answer to the federal No Child Left Behind law.

Starting with the class of 2008, students are required to pass the reading, writing and math portions of the exam to earn a high school diploma, though that requirement may be changing.

In November, Gov. Chris Gregoire and Superintendent of Public Instruction Terry Bergeson proposed delaying the math graduation requirement for three years after 49 percent of last year’s sophomore’s failed the math portion of the test.

Gregoire said instead she wants those students in mandatory, rigorous math classes, however, until they graduate.

The governor has also indicated she might suggest a similar reprieve for the science part of the test, supposed to become a graduation requirement in 2010. Only 34 percent of those tested passed the science part last year.

Now lawmakers in both the House and Senate are floating the idea of delaying the entire test – including the reading and writing portions.

Leadership forum for disabled youth

Applications are being sought from high school juniors and seniors with disabilities who would like to participate in a six-day youth leadership forum in Olympia this summer.

The annual forum, presented by the Governor’s Committee on Disability and Employment, will be Aug. 12 to 17 at Evergreen State College.

The event brings together students from various disabilities to explore skills and concepts that will help them succeed in life after high school, according to a press release from the committee.

Forum workshop topics include leadership skills, disability rights, self-advocacy, assistive technologies, career planning, and personal and social skills.

All expenses will be paid for students selected to attend. As many as 45 students will be selected.

For an application or more information call (360) 438-3258 or TTY at (360) 438-3167 or by e-mail at jpeters @esd.wa.gov.

The deadline to apply is May 1.

Madison nominated for national award

Madison Elementary School was nominated recently by the state Superintendent of Public Instruction’s office for a federal Blue Ribbon Award.

The award is given to high-achieving schools each year by the U.S. Department of Education. Schools are selected based on two criteria. They must either have 40 percent of students from disadvantaged backgrounds who are improving on state tests, or achieve in the top 10 percent on state tests regardless of demographics. Madison was nominated for achieving in the top 10 on state tests.

Six other schools across the state were nominated for the award. Winners will be announced in September.

Spokane’s Franklin Elementary School was given the award in 2004, and Moran Prairie was honored with the distinction last year.

There are some 250 schools given the distinction nationwide.