Test Cheating hits WASL

[Arthur Hu <ArthurH@TANGIS.COM>]

Date sent:              Sat, 10 Jun 2000 20:12:15
To:                     fredb001@sg23.com
From:                   Lynn M Stuter <lmstuter@icehouse.net>
Subject:                WASL test irregularities

Off the AP wire ... has not hit the dailies yet ... LynnS



                 WASL test irregularities
                 investigated at Tri-Cities area
                 school

                 The Associated Press
                 6/10/00 7:32 PM

                 FINLEY, Wash. (AP) -- A middle-school teacher in this
                 Tri-Cities area town has been placed on paid leave
                 pending an investigation of allegations that a state
                 standardized test was improperly administered.

                 The Finley School District has hired an independent
                 investigator to look into the Washington Assessment of
                 Student Learning test that Finley Middle School
                 seventh-graders took in April, Superintendent Rob Van
                 Slyke said.

                 The investigation could affect test scores of some or all
                 the school's 85 seventh-graders. Test scores are to be
                 announced in the fall.

                 The Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction,
                 which oversees the state's schools, has not invalidated
                 the test.

                 "They wouldn't take an action on that until there was a
                 discovery as to whether or not the allegations were
                 true," Van Slyke said.

                 He declined to name the teacher who was placed on leave
                 or give other details.

                 "I am concerned very much for the individual involved
                 because if these allegations prove to be false, you can
                 do so much damage to their career," he said.

                 The test, commonly known by its acronym WASL, is given
                 each April to students in grades four, seven and 10. The
                 test reflects the state's tough new academic requirements
                 in the areas of reading, writing, mathematics and
                 communication.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
To unsubscribe from the ARN-L list, send command SIGNOFF ARN-L
to LISTSERV@LISTS.CUA.EDU.