The WASL is a comprehensive exam (reading, writing, listening and math) given to all students in the state of Washington in the 4th, 7th, and 10th grades. The tenth grade WASL in the graduating year of 2008 will have to be passed in order for a student to graduate from high school.
The WASL is important because it tests your child’s understanding of concepts and his or her ability to explain those concepts. In math, for instance, students must be able to not only solve problems but explain in writing how they arrived at their answers.
We are very concerned as elementary teachers that our students develop higher level thinking skills and start to build good test-taking skills in their early years. The WASL is a difficult exam because it tests the understanding of students in a comprehensive manner—not by providing multiple choice answers to objective questions.
The WASL is important to our school because the federal No Child Left Behind Act requires all public schools in the US receiving federal funds to measure student achievement and their improvement over time. The WASL is the test chosen to gauge student performance in the state of Washington. The ferderal government will not provide funding for schools that do not participate in this program.
There are many ways you can help your child prepare to take the WASL. The best way is to read with him or her every day from early childhood. You might also ask questions about what your child is learning at school; make sure he or she completes assigned homework every night; and have him or her practice writing about math. How did she figure out the answer to a problem? How would he describe the process he used to arrive at his answer? See other tips on this web site for school-to-home connections and ideas to help you help your child succeed in school.
Helpful links for additional WASL information:
Third Grade
Third Grade Sample WASL Math Questions
Third Grade Sample WASL Reading Questions
Fourth Grade
Fourth Grade Sample WASL Math Questions
Fourth Grade Reading Sample WASL Reading Questions
Fifth Grade
Fifth Grade Sample WASL Math Questions
Fifth Grade Sample WASL Reading Questions