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State Assessment
OSPI guides districts to meet federal requirements for annual state assessments. The intent of state testing is to determine a student’s skills and knowledge based our state learning standards in reading, writing, math and science. Our district uses multiple points of data to support student learning. Paired with data from our classroom assessments, the resulting state assessment score data provides an additional layer of information as to how we may help our students move forward with their educational goals.
Spring 2024 state test window is March 25 through June 7, 2024. Schools nest their unique testing schedule within these dates with most schools testing in April-May. Here's the State Assessment Calendar, but please contact your school to learn their specific testing dates.
Statewide testing helps ensure all public-school students, no matter where they go to school, receive a quality education. Each spring, Washington students are tested by the state to assess their progress. Washington state uses the Smarter Balanced Assessment for English Language Arts (reading and writing) and Mathematics. Springtime Smarter Balanced is given in grades 3-8 and 10. The Spring Washington Comprehensive Assessment of Science is given in grades 5, 8 and 11.
Starting Smarter offers parents and students the opportunity to learn how to use state test score reports to better understand your child's strengths and areas in need of improvement. Also, please visit the OSPI website for more information. Students may review sample questions and items seen on our state tests. OSPI's Understanding Smarter Balanced Assessment Scores with Audio offers helpful information to support students. Learn about state assessment score reports here.
Kindergarten: The Washington Kindergarten Inventory of Developing Skills (WaKIDS) is a process that helps ensure a successful start to school. WaKIDS provides a statewide snapshot of where children are in their development at the start of kindergarten. This inventory-of-skills assessment helps inform our teachers as to your child's unique skill set at the beginning of the school year and assists state-level decisions about education policy. For more information, please check out our WaKIDS page and our Parent Support page for WaKIDS.
Grades 3-8: Each spring, students test their understanding of English language arts and mathematics with the Smarter Balanced Assessment. In grades 5 and 8, students also take the state science exam, Washington Comprehensive Assessment of Science.
The Smarter Balanced Assessment (SBA) is one of the Graduation Pathways used to meet graduation requirements. Most of Washington's universities, colleges and community colleges will use SBA scores for course-level placement. Students who wish to retry for a higher score may test again each year until age 21.
- Students in grade 10 take the Smarter Balanced Assessment for English language arts and math.
- Students in grade 11 take the Washington Comprehensive Assessment of Science.
Do students need to take the high school assessment to graduate? To graduate from high school in Washington, students must earn credits, demonstrate readiness to graduate through one of the pathways, and complete a High School and Beyond Plan. The results from the 10th grade ELA and math tests should be used to inform course-taking for the next two years of high school and is used to complete a High School and Beyond Plan. When a 10th grade student demonstrates they have met standard on the test, they have greater course-taking flexibility. Meeting standard on the high school test is just one of the graduation pathways.
Want more? READYWA provides information about state learning standards and how state assessments measure students' understanding of those standards. Plan your Path!
Former High School Students seeking a Diploma: Until age 21, students are encouraged to contact the Counseling Offices of Wenatchee HS or WestSide HS to schedule time to review your transcript and explore Alternate Pathways. Let us give you a hand. Reach out to our Counseling Staff: Wenatchee High School; WestSide High School.
Planning to Go to College? Parents can use these brochures to find out how to use the Smarter Balance score to qualify for entry-level credit-bearing college courses. Available in the following languages:
English | Chinese | Khmer | Korean | Punjabi | Russian | Somali | Spanish | Tagalog | Vietnamese
Running Start Students: Plan to take the Smarter Balanced assessment - Reserve your Spot! Please reach out to your school with your contact information.
HB-1599 - Please see updates on the OSPI Graduation Alternatives webpage to learn about all the assessment graduation alternatives.
Students and Family Resources may be accessed from the OSPI website. WCAP offers Practice and Training Tests for review, as well as general information to support students.
OSPI has Graduation Pathways in place that are available to all students.
The Washington Access to Instruction & Measurement (WA-AIM) is the springtime alternate assessment for students with significant cognitive challenges. Instead of accessing the Smarter Balanced Assessment, the WA-AIM assessment measures student knowledge and skills through the use of performance tasks. Schools nest testing dates within the state's WA-AIM testing windows, which are offered below.
- WA-AIM High School Fall Retake: September 25 - November 21, 2023. This test event supports students in grades 11 and 12 who missed the test administration in grade 10.
- WA-AIM Spring: January 29 - May 3, 2024. This test event measures student's understanding of English Language Arts and Mathematics in grades 3-8 and 10, and Science in grades 5, 8 and 11, which mirrors SBA and WCAS.
WIDA assessments are used to determine English language levels and student eligibility for English Language Development services. Students with home languages other than English take the WIDA Screener to help determine if specific services will be provided to the student. Students who are served for English Language Development take the annual WIDA test in late winter. Of these students, students with significant cognitive disability will access the WIDA Alternate Access test to better support their unique needs. Local testing dates for both WIDA and WIDA Alternate Assess assessments are nested within dates mandated by OSPI, January 29 - March 22, 2024. Our schools will schedule testing dates to best support their students. Learn about WIDA ACCESS score reports here and WIDA Alternate ACCESS score reports here.
Parents and students who wish to refuse state testing may contact their principal for further information.
Washington State Report Card is OSPI's report of our assessment scores and other various strands of data. The Report Card is updated each November.
This page was updated on June 20, 2023. Please contact Karen Allen with comments.
This site provides information using PDF, visit this link to download the Adobe Acrobat Reader DC software.