Re: WASL delay for Marysvill strike

[ABurke5054@aol.com]

Maybe they're on to something.  If the teachers stay on strike all year, the 
kids won't have to take the test at all.

Art

In a message dated 2/22/2004 8:30:14 AM Pacific Standard Time, 
arthurhu@comcast.net writes:
oh come on.....

g:\clip\2004\02\wasldelay.txt
Seattle Times
Saturday, February 21, 2004, 12:00 a.m. Pacific

WASL testing to be delayed in Marysville

By J.J. Jensen Times Snohomish County bureau

MARYSVILLE — Students in the Marysville School District will be
allowed to take the Washington Assessment of Student Learning tests
about a month later than other students in the state to make up for
the time missed during a 49-day teachers strike.

In a meeting yesterday at the school district's headquarters, state
Superintendent of Public Instruction Terry Bergeson informed district
and teachers-union leaders that students would be allowed to take the
WASL between May 17 and June 4.

The tests in reading, math and writing will be given to other students
in the fourth, seventh and 10th grades between April 19 and May 7.
Marysville School District officials had grappled with how to prepare
for this year's WASL tests on a shortened schedule. Students missed 36
days of school as a result of the teachers strike, the longest ever in
the state. After the strike, district officials and teachers in
Marysville contacted Bergeson fearing that a lack of preparation time
might adversely affect students' scores on the high-stakes tests.

Marysville's test scores are among the lowest in Snohomish County but
are also improving faster than those in many districts in the Puget
Sound region. Scores have increased nearly across the board since the
1998-99 academic year. The number of fourth- and 10th-graders meeting
standards in writing, for example, has increased 24 percent since
then.

"They've worked very hard to reach their kids, and they don't want to
see that go down the tubes," said Bergeson. "A few people got their
noses bent out of shape this fall and kept a whole bunch of kids and
teachers and families in turmoil for a long time. In spite of the
tensions and the fights and the hollering, (Marysville's) done a lot
of work to support their students."

In granting Marysville an extension for the WASL testing period,
Bergeson said she had to consult with testing officials at the Office
of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) to make sure the scores
would be valid. She also had to check with the company that scores the
tests to ensure Marysville's tests would be processed in time to be
included in the release of statewide scores.

An OK was also needed from Marysville's Superintendent Linda
Whitehead, the School Board, principals and teachers union.

News of the delayed testing was welcomed around the district.
"Naturally, with the WASL date coming up in May and the fact we had
school start later, there was concern," said Liberty Elementary School
Principal Heidi Johnsen. "I'd expect the bulk of our teachers would
say, 'Good. Thank you for extending this. Now we have more time to
teach.' Every day makes a difference."

At Liberty, records are kept that show a correlation between the
levels at which students are reading and how many pass the reading
section of the WASL. Johnsen said she can already identify 10 students
who probably wouldn't have met the standards but who now, given the
extra time, are likely to pass the test.

Because of the new requirements of the federal No Child Left Behind
Act, how students perform on the WASL greatly affects school
districts' federal funding prospects. To ensure that all students are
held to the standards, officials track test performance by particular
groups, such as ethnic minorities and students from low-income
families. If one group fails to meet benchmarks, or if its failure
rate doesn't improve significantly, an entire school will be deemed to
be failing to make "annual yearly progress."

Beginning with the class of 2008 — next year's freshmen — the state
will require high-school students to pass the WASL in order to
graduate.

Bergeson said she will be back in Marysville on Friday to talk about
test security. She said she realizes some people believe Marysville
should not get special treatment because of the strike.

"I'm more worried about the kids," she said. "They'll still be behind
the curve of other kids, but this gives them a pretty solid four weeks
of school."

J.J. Jensen: 425-745-7809 or jjensen@seattletimes.com