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County students score higher than state average

Whitman County school districts had, on average, a higher percentage of students pass the state WASL last year than other districts in the state.

In a survey of 2008- 2009 WASL scores for the 10th graders in the eight county school districts, the district scores averaged 93 percent of students passing the reading test, versus 81.2 percent average for all the districts in the state.

The average county district had 57 percent of students pass the math test, versus 45.4 percent average totaled from all the districts in the state.

The state this year renamed and restructured the WASL (Washington Assessment of Student Learning) to the HSPE (the High School Proficiency Exam).

Students around the state have already taken the HSPE but results of that test have not yet been released to the public.

Students take the exam most years throughout elementary and junior high and take it for the last time their sophomore year.

Rosalia Superintendent Tom Crowley said he continues to feel both the WASL and HSPE are a waste of time. The Rosalia school district had 88.2 percent of students pass the reading portion of the WASL and 47.1 percent pass the math portion.

“I think it has a very low diagnostic use on an individual basis,” Crowley said.

The tests aren’t good at gauging the nitty gritty of student’s knowledge subject by subject, he said.

This is a factor which is important in placing students in appropriate classes.

“I found the WASL and I still find the HSPE to be virtually worthless,” said Crowley.

The only value he sees in the time-consuming exam is that it does help rate the overall competence of a school program, he said.

Susana Reyes, assistant superintendent of Pullman school district, wouldn’t venture an opinion on the tests, saying only it was the district’s duty to fulfill state mandates.

“As challenging as it may be and as frustrating, even if we see changes coming our way, it’s our obligation to fulfill that responsibility,” Reyes said.

Whitman County WASL scores

WASL TEST SCORES FOR 2008-2009

SOPHOMORES

READING MATH

Colfax 86 38.8

Garfield/Palouse 94.7 50

Rosalia 88.2 47.1

Colton/Uniontown 100 62.5

Tekoa 92.6 78.3

Endicott/ St. John 96 54.2

Pullman 95.5 75.3

Oakesdale 92.9 50

County average 93.2 57

State average 81.2 45.4

 

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