A "hotly contested measure" allowing charter schools and overhauls of the state' standardized tests were among the education bills signed by Washington Governor Gary Locke this week:
Perhaps of most interest to schoolchildren and parents will be the changes to the Washington Assessment of Student Learning. Before House Bill 2195 passed, the class of 2008 faced the prospect of having just one chance to pass the 10th-grade WASL to graduate. The law now allows as many as four more chances to take the test, as well as alternative tests.
"Not everybody performs at their best in a traditional, No. 2 pencil, sweaty-palms testing scenario," said Rep. Joe McDermott, (D-Seattle), who sponsored the measure.
Well, they'd better learn to perform their best in that scenario, at least within five tries. And I want to hear more about these "alternative" tests.
The bill also dumps the listening portion of the test for fourth-, 7th- and 10th-graders, and cancels the planned tests in social studies, arts and physical education. That leaves the existing tests for reading, writing and math, along with an upcoming science exam.
The charter school bill allows for as many as 45 charter schools over the next six years. It also allows districts to convert failing schools into charter schools, and, in extreme cases, would authorize the state superintendent of public instruction to force a failing school to convert.
Sharkblog has been all over the charter school story in Washington.
Posted by kswygert at March 19, 2004 10:09 AM