State Testing

Description:  The SBA is an assessment system used by Washington and other states belonging to the Smarter Balanced Consortium.  The tests are designed to measure how well our students are progressing toward meeting the student learning standards. 

The tests assess two areas: English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics and are required of all students in grades 3-8 and 10 annually (each spring).

Meeting standard on the High School SBA is one path toward meeting graduation requirements for many students.  For more information about Graduation Requirements and the various pathways to meeting those requirements, review the district's Graduation Requirements web page found under the Students menu.

Resources:

• Hot Topic article on Common Core standards and SBA (OSPI April 2015)
• OSPI web page regarding Smarter Balanced Assessments 

Description: The WCAS is the Washington State science assessment.  The test is required of students in grades 5, 8, and 11 annually (in the Spring).  The test was designed to measure student proficiency based on the 2013 K-12 Science Learning Standards, previously referred to as the Next Generation Science Standards.

Passing the High School WCAS is not a graduation requirement, although participating in the test in the 11th grade is still a state and federal requirement.

For more information about the WCAS, please click here.

For students who are eligible for EL (English Learner) services, there are specific assessments we are required to give.  First students are screened for services using an assessment.  Then, in addition to other state tests (SBA/WCAS), the EL students must take an annual EL assessment.  The results of that annual assessment determine whether the student continues to remain eligible for EL services.

Through the 2020-21 school year, the state has been using the ELPA21 assessment, both for screening students for services and for the annual assessment.  WiDA was used as an alternate assessment for some special education students.

Beginning in the 2021-22 school year, this state will no longer use the ELPA assessments but instead will be using WIDA assessments.

Click here for more information.

WaKIDS = Washington Kindergarten Inventory of Developing Skills

WaKIDS is a process to identify skills, knowledge, and characteristics of our kindergarten students at the beginning of the school year, to help inform instruction.

The actual whole-child assessment used for this purpose is called GOLD and is a required assessment as part of state-funded full-day kindergarten.

Link to the OSPI webpage describing this assessment.

Alternate Assessments are available to Special Education students, depending on the circumstances.  Use of Alternate Assessments should be determined by the IEP team and designated on the student's IEP. 

Alternate Assessments include:

• WA-AIM: Washington Access to Instruction and Measurement.  This is a testing alternative (instead of taking the SBA or WCAS) in grades 3 through high school for Special Education students with significant cognitive challenges.
• WIDA Alternate Access:  This is an alternate assessment to the annual EL assessment in grades K-12 for Special Education EL students with significant cognitive challenges.

• Click here to visit the OSPI (Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction) state website.
• To contact someone in the district office about State Testing, e-mail the Assessment, Research, and Evaluation office.