State Required Tests
Measurements of Student Progress (MSP)
The name of the MSP, given to students in grades 3-8, conveys the goal of the test: to measure student progress.
High School Proficiency Exam (HSPE)
This test measures the proficiency of students in high school and serves as the state’s exit exam. Students must pass this assessment or a state-approved alternative in reading and writing in order to be eligible to graduate.
End-of-Course Assessments (EOC)
End-of-course assessments for high school Mathematics are to be implemented statewide by the 2010-11 school year and replacing the Mathematics portion of the HSPE. End-of-course assessments for high school Science are to be implemented statewide by spring 2012 and replacing the Science portion of the HSPE.
Washington Assessment of Student Learning (WASL)
This test was replaced in 2009-10 by the Measurements of Student Progress (MSP) and the High School Proficiency Exam (HSPE).
Washington Alternate Assessment System (WAAS)
The WAAS provides multiple ways for students with an Individual Education Program (IEP) to participate in the state testing system.
Second Grade Fluency and Accuracy Assessment
Every student is assessed at the beginning of second grade using a grade-level equivalent oral reading passage.
Washington Language Proficiency Test II (WLPT-II)
The WLPT-II annually assesses the growth of the state’s English language learners. Students in grades K-12 are tested in reading, writing, listening and speaking.
National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP)
NAEP is a national assessment that allows educational achievement to be compared across states. Federal law requires every state to give the NAEP in reading and math at grades 4 and 8 every two years. States and school districts that receive Title I federal funding to aid educationally disadvantaged students in high poverty areas must participate in these assessments. Other subjects also are tested.
Classroom-Based Assessments (CBAs) and Classroom-Based Performance Assessments (CBPAs)
The state supports the development of classroom-based assessments that are based on the state’s learning standards and help guide day-to-day instruction. State curriculum specialists create tasks and questions that model good assessments and provide them to local school districts.