Seeking Help with Wasl Testing

Lori don't feel alone. My daughter also will be a senior this new school year. Math is not her strong point so knew right away to take 4 years of math just in case she didn't pass the WASL (she is good enough to pass the regular class tests). This way she can graduate. She failed the WASL two times. The second one by 16 points. I really don't know of any websites to go to but if she doesn't have 4 years of math maybe she can take extra classes in her final year??
Good luck to her!!

T.
Everett

Lori,
This is what I know: My step son is also going to be a senior this next year and has also failed the math portion of the WASL in the 10th grade. We were told by his school counsler that if he didn't pass the math portion before going into his senior year he would have to take an extra math course during the year AND also do well on the PSAT or one other test I do not know the name of...I forget. Anyway when it came time for him to take the make-up portion of the WASL this last year, he was sick and missed the entire second portion of the test. He then talked to the principal and he said for him to not worry about it...it isn't required anymore. He also told him he DID NOT have to take the extra math course either?! I too am confused! I suggest to contact as many people as you can and document all you are told and when. Sadly, I think the schools just might be as confused as us parents.

We went as far as to take my son to Sylvan's learning center, paying the huge amount required and having him tested and evaluated to find out what specific areas he needs help understanding, so he could study up for the WASL...as it turns out, it was all for not.

I am sorry I do not have any answers for you, except to say, you are not alone...lots of us are still confused and worried about what will happen next year!

Good Luck,
K.

I would check again with the principal of your school. This year the new superintendant of Public Schools annpunced that the WASL was no longer going to be used in testing. They are going to start a new version of testing that involoves more computers so that the cost of the test will be less. Your daughter may end up not having to take it again at all. I know for our school when the board met to do our budget the WASL test is no longer something that we budget for because it will not be done anymore. Check into it maybe even with your school board b/c that test is gone.

My son is going to be a senior as well and hasn't passed the math WASL. He enrolled in math for his entire senior year and if he passes, will be able to graduate.
While there has been talk about the WASL being changed, the final decision has not been made as of yet. Until that decision is finalized, I would plan on there being a WASL requirement.
Also, be cautious about information being given by the news media. It is not a relaible source of information. Call OSPI for the most up to date info on the WASL.
Good Luck!

There are copies of past math WASL questions available from OSPI to practice. Also, schools are given money on a per student basis to help with WASL remediation classes, so she can study to take the test this August. Because she's a senior and has failed the WASL at least once before in the 10th grade, she can satisfy the state requirement for the math WASL by taking a math class her entire senior year. She would have to pass this math class and it has to be a higher level of math than the course she took this past year. Your high school counselor should be explaining all the options to you. 30 points is a considerable amount to fail by, so it would be in her best interest to take the remedial class over the summer, take the test, take the math class during her senior year and then also retake it again if necessary in the spring. Passing all sections of the 10th grade WASL gets an 'certificate of academic achievement' noted on her transcript and this does carry some weight with employers, knowing that they have passed tests verifying their ability to read, write, comprehend the written word, as well as passing the science and math sections of the test. I just went thru this process with my nephew. He failed his fifth attempt at the math portion by 1 point. He was taking a math class his entire senior year so he was able to graduate. I wish you well.

Here are some Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction links that you may find helpful. Don't forget the WASL will be different this next year and not called WASL. It's been in the news. I'm not sure what the requirement is for graduating on time--but I think they extended it to 2012 that they need to pass the math. Like I said though, I'm not sure. I would call the OSPI.

http://www.k12.wa.us/assessment/WASL/WASLPractice-ParentS...
(released items, practice questions, etc.)

http://www.k12.wa.us/assessment/WASL/testquestions.aspx
(questions about testing)

http://www.k12.wa.us/assessment/resources.aspx
(information about the tests, diploma requirements, etc.)

Best wishes! Math was my WORST subject, and I probably would never have attended college if I was a kid today!

Call the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) in Olympia and find out the real facts. Also find out if they have any resources of tutors or instruction for your daughter. Your school district should also have something provided for her too--free. It is public instruction after all.

Hi Lori,

I don't have any answers for you, except that I went online to the Superintendent of Public Instruction (the state agency that governs education in Washington) and found the following email address where you can send your questions regarding the WASL:

____@____.com

Here is the link to the website page where I found it:

http://www.k12.wa.us/GraduationRequirements/Requirement-C...

I can't tell for sure if the math part of the WASL is still required just by looking at this website, but it's hard to tell.

I know that there are some changes to the WASL and some discussions going on about throwing the WASL out, but I haven't been following it at all. I echo the previous post that suggested documenting who you talk to, what you are told, the date, etc.

The WASL is way too confusing for everyone...good luck!

Hello Lori,

At the Washington OSPI website under "Assessment," you can pull up "WASL Math Released Items" for your daughter to use as practice. Of course, she might have seen these problems before, but this time she would have access to how scorers rated different student responses. Here's a link: http://www.k12.wa.us/assessment/WASL/testquestions.aspx

My understanding is that your daughter might take the SAT, and if she receives a certain cut-off score on the quantitative (math) portion, she can substitute the SAT for the WASL. I hope that you are able to contact the high school counselor to discuss this option.

Also, I have come across WASL prep books at big book stores. If you have easy access to a chain store such as Borders or Barnes & Noble, I'd check out this option.

I hope this helps. Good luck!

M.

Barnes & Nobel (in store), has an entire section that's devoted to k-12 education. This ranges from homeschool materials, to workbooks, to SAT/WASL/etc test prep. The books on average are about 10 bucks each, they do the standard strategies and practice tests.

I don't know where the section is in Woodinville (at U-village it's right near the children's book section but not in it), but it should be easy enough to find.

As far as what's required from year to year, no one really knows -ever- (from administrators/teachers/parents/students)...until that year is actually happening. Even then it can change. Many people know what is "supposed" to happen. But as we all know...supposed to and actually are two entiiiiirely different ball games. So might as well be prepared.

Good luck

I googled wasl and came up with several sights. The one that I looked at had a link to practice problems. Another site was ID'ed as a practoce site.

My granddaughter is going into the 4th grade. The school began using a new math curriculum a couple of years ago that sounds similar to what the site I looked at was talking about. It has to do with putting math problems in writing rather than just numbers. My granddaughter uses manipulatives (blocks in various shapes and then writes about them. It seems like at least half of her math assignments are either story problems or pictures of shapes. She did have asignments with just number problems on the sheet and a part of the assignment was to put the problems into words. So your daughter may not have been taught math in a way that would help her with wasl.

we're in Portland, OR.

When my daughter was in school around 22 years ago they were using a different curriculum. anyway I could seldom help her.
soon after I graduated there was "new math." I never could figure that one out. The newest curriculum at least makes sense to me. I think it must really help the students who learn visually.