Testing & Accountability

Washington Assessment of Student Learning (WASL)

Graphic courtesy of
Dale Carrington

The state of Washington, through the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) administers the Washington Assessment of Student Learning (WASL) as one of the state assessments for measuring student achievement of basic academic requirements. The assessments measure students' application of knowledge to problem-solving tasks. The assessments are also used to evaluate school and district performance improvements.

OSPI reports achievement data for individual students, schools, districts, and the state overall. This information helps the Puyallup School District and its individual schools refine instructional practices and focus curriculum. It also gives parents information about how well their children are doing and where additional help may be needed.

There are WASL tests for students from grade 3 through grade 12. Students must complete all testing sessions in a subject area in order to receive a score. Successful completion of the reading and writing assessments is a statewide graduation requirement.

Read the OSPI document entitled Earning a Diploma: The Class of 2009 and Beyond (pdf, 565kb), which includes Washington state graduation requirements and the information about the high school WASL for the class of 2009 and beyond.

NOTE: On May 8, 2007, Governor Christine Gregoire postponed until 2013 the requirement that students pass the math and science portions of the WASL in order to graduate from high school.

This is a change from the previous requirement that starting with the class of 2008, students would need to pass the math portion of the WASL and starting with the class of 2010, students would need to pass the science portion of the WASL in order to graduate.

Read the news story in the Tacoma News Tribune.

WASL Schedules

The tests are administered in March and April on a state-required schedule. For 2009 the schedule is as follows:

Grades	Subjects	Test Dates
3rd grade	Reading and Math	April 13-May 1, 2009 (including make-ups)
4th grade	Reading, Math, and Writing	April 13-May 1, 2009 (including make-ups)
5th grade	Reading, Math, and Science	April 13-May 1, 2009 (including make-ups)
6th grade	Reading and Math	April 13-May 1, 2009 (including make-ups)
7th grade	Math	April 15 and April 16, 2009 (make-ups through May 1, 2009)
7th grade	Writing	April 14 and April 21, 2009 (make-ups through May 1, 2009)
7th grade	Reading	April 22 and April 23, 2009 (make-ups through May 1, 2009)
8th grade	Reading	April 14 and April 15, 2009 (make-ups through May 1, 2009)
8th grade	Math	April 16 and April 21, 2009 (make-ups through May 1, 2009)
8th grade	Science	April 22 and April 23, 2009 (make-ups through May 1, 2009)
9th grade	Reading	March 16 and March 17, 2009 (make-ups through May 1, 2009)
9th grade	Writing	March 18 and March 19, 2009 (make-ups through May 1, 2009)
9th grade	Math	April 13 and April 14, 2009 (make-ups through May 1, 2009)
10th grade	Reading	March 16 and March 17, 2009 (make-ups through May 1, 2009)
10th grade	Writing	March 18 and March 19, 2009 (make-ups through May 1, 2009)
10th grade	Math	April 13 and April 14, 2009 (make-ups through May 1, 2009)
10th grade	Science	April 20 and April 21, 2009 (make-ups through May 1, 2009)
11th and 12th grade	Reading	March 16 and March 17, 2009
11th and 12th grade	Writing	March 18 and March 19, 2009
11th and 12th grade	Math	April 13 and April 14, 2009
11th and 12th grade	Reading, Math, and Writing Retakes	August 10-13, 2009

Students who were absent during even a portion of one subject area must retake the entire section of that test.

See detailed WASL schedules by grade.

WASL Scores

This year, students will receive two sets of WASL results. By June 15, individual student scores for reading, writing, and math will be sent to families. A second report will be issued to families in September that includes the results from the science WASL. Results of the August retakes will be mailed to students’ homes in mid-October.

To see how Puyallup School District seniors rank in WASL performance among seniors other Washington high schools, see the WASL statewide rankings page.

For details about districtwide WASL scores, see the OSPI Washington State Report Card for the Puyallup School District, and review 2006-07 WASL Results.

2007-08 WASL news

Rogers High student wins donated car as WASL incentive (6/10/08)
Most Puyallup School District seniors on target to graduate (6/4/08)

Archived WASL news stories

For More Information

For questions or more information, please contact the Office of Assessment and Accountability at (253) 841-8797.

Updated