Today in Olympia, WTIA testified against HB 2231, a bill to eliminate student assessments in writing, math and science as high school graduation requirements.
The original education reform legislation that was passed in 1993 (HB 1208) still has not been fully implemented. There are reasons for this but the main one is that the K-12 education system has resisted reforms, delayed implementation and fought against measures that would improve student achievement.
WTIA and our technology company members strongly support improved student achievement, particularly in math and science. WTIA and other education reform groups have pushed hard to require that students demonstrate knowledge in math and science by passing a test to graduate from high school.
Students must now pass a reading and a writing test to graduate from high school. Passage rates for both tests are well over 80% now that schools, teachers and students have gotten focused on it.
However, there have been delays for the math and science requirements for a number of years now. Students can earn their diploma if they pass the math "end of course" assessment. If they do not pass, they must take an extra year of math. In 2013 though, passage of the math test in Algebra is required to graduate. In 2014, students must pass a geometry test in addition to algebra to graduate. Once these tests become requirements, students will take them more seriously and get more focused on doing well on them.
For science, the graduation requirement begins in 2015. Remember that these tests are taken in 10th grade; students can retake the test up to four times and there are alternatives if they are unable to pass.
HB 2231 would eliminate the requirement that students pass the tests to graduate. WTIA believes this is a flawed policy that does not help students, nor does it provide educators, parents or the public any gauge of how students are doing. Here is a link to the bill page on the legislature's website: http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summary.aspx?bill=2231 A bill analysis is attached.
Washington's K-12 system still has a number of flaws that still need to be addressed. Much progress has been made in the last 3-4 years in terms of higher standards, aligned curriculum and more effective assessments. HB 2231 takes our state in the wrong direction.
Because of the state budget crunch, proposals like these are couched as ideas that will "save money". But not knowing if our students perform adequately in math and science is not a good policy. WTIA will continue to work against passage of HB 2231.