State Test Scores Released
Results from state tests given this past spring were released Monday by the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI).
Called the Smarter Balanced Assessments, the tests were taken in English language arts (ELA) and math by students in 3rd through 8th grade and by high school students. The tests are based on Washington’s learning standards, adopted in 2011. Students in grades 5, 8, and 11 also took new science tests. These tests are based on the Next Generation Science Standards, adopted by Washington state in 2013.
Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal said the results this year were mixed. “We’re seeing growth in nearly every student group on ELA, and we’re pleased with that,” he said. “The math results, though, are a bit flatter, and we know there is more work to be done.”
Analysis by OSPI showed gains by some groups of students, such as those receiving special education services and those experiencing poverty. The table below shows whether a group made more gains than the state average for all students in that grade and subject. Specifically, it compares percentage-point gains from 2017 to 2018 between each student group and all students as a whole. For example, among all students, proficiency in third grade ELA increased by 3.3 percentage points (shown above: 55.5 percent in 2018; 52.2 percent in 2017). For African-American students, the increase was 5.4 percentage points (40.4 percent in 2018; 35.0 percent in 2017), which was greater than the all-students group.
“We can see that gaps are closing for many student groups, but the size of the gaps will make it a long process,” Reykdal said. “I’ll be talking to legislators this coming session about actions to specifically address inequities among student groups, especially with students receiving special education services.”
“State test scores continue to be part of how we assess school districts,” he continued. “School improvement plans have been built using this data. But I want to be clear that students are more than a single test score, and our School Improvement Framework includes measures that go beyond test scores. Our focus is on all aspects of student learning, with an emphasis on growth.”
