With the Legislature set to convene in six weeks, a growing number of organizations and officials are sharing WSSDA’s view that there should be a time-limited delay of the state’s math WASL graduation requirement.
Tuesday, the State Board of Education called for a three-year "transition period" in which students would not have to pass the high school math WASL to graduate, but would be required to complete certain math classes. The board also adopted a proposed "Joint Mathematics Action Plan" designed to increase math achievement for all students. SBE support for delaying the math exit exam is contingent on legislative funding of the action plan.
The board’s action came one day after Gov. Chris Gregoire and state Superintendent of Public Instruction Terry Bergeson announced a proposal that would allow students in the classes of 2008, 2009 and 2010 to graduate without passing the math WASL. (See related article.) In addition, two private organizations — the Partnership for Learning and the Washington Roundtable — endorsed a delay, contingent on improvements in math education.
"This signals a growing recognition that more time and effort is needed to get our education system to a place where all students will be adequately prepared to demonstrate proficiency in math," said WSSDA Executive Director Martharose Laffey. "It also underscores the point that we can’t ease up during a phase-in — that we need to continue the push for increased achievement in math and other subjects."
Under current law, students in the class of 2008 and beyond must pass the reading, writing and math sections of the high school WASL to receive a Certificate of Academic Achievement, which in turn is required to earn a diploma. Passing the science WASL will be added as a requirement starting with the class of 2010.
Last September, WSSDA’s Legislative Assembly adopted a position asking the Legislature to phase in the math and science graduation requirements, with math to start with the class of 2011 and science with the class of 2014. The Assembly underscored WSSDA’s continuing strong support for high standards, but noted that the system is not ready to ensure all students are prepared to meet those standards in math and science.
The SBE’s math action plan has been under discussion for the past several months, spurred by WASL scores that show persistent problems in math. The plan calls for:
Clarifying math standards and aligning curriculum and assessment with those standards. Districts would be provided a menu of K-12 curricula that would include aligned texts and materials.
Ensuring quality teaching through improved professional development, more rigorous endorsements, and better recruiting strategies.
Increasing opportunities for students to take rigorous math classes and encouraging students to take a college placement test in math. (The plan initially proposed that the placement test be required; WSSDA suggested that such tests be encouraged, but not mandatory.)
Delivering effective instruction and interventions, including a "segmented" math WASL, more funding for the Promoting Academic Success
(PAS) program, and a longer school day.
Undertaking a community outreach effort to stress the importance of math skills.
Several of those proposals mirror recommendations developed by the WSSDA Board of Directors earlier this month, including those related to clarifying standards, aligning curriculum, training teachers and improving instructional strategies.
In testimony to the SBE, WSSDA Vice President Ted Thomas (Longview) said the WSSDA board is also emphasizing that math is part of well-rounded education that includes many other subjects and courses, and that strategies to improve math achievement should be focused on learning, not seat time for students. (For the complete text of the WSSDA board’s recommendations
in PDF, click here. For details of the SBE’s proposals regarding graduation requirements and math, visit
www.sbe.wa.gov.)
All proposals regarding changes in the graduation requirements must be approved by the Legislature, which convenes its regular session on Jan. 8, 2007.
