Bill proposes students who don't pass WASL to take summer school

State WASL testing starts this week, ends May 6

COLUMBIA BASIN- June, July and August are usually a break for students and teachers away from the rigors of academic work, but that may be changing.

House Bill 2204, first proposed in February and passed through the House in March, would require those high school students who do not pass the Washington Assessment of Student Learning to enroll in summer school.

Without doing either, students would not be eligible to attain any higher than a sophomore standing according to the proposed bill.

With state testing for the WASL beginning this week, once again educators and students are faced with the pressures of meeting or exceeding last year's scores and the stakes are getting higher.

"Read carefully, know the questions and try and relate all the things we've learned," fifth-grade teacher Susie Barr said she tells her class at Peninsula Elementary.

Barr, like other fifth-grade teachers, will begin administering a pilot test for the science portion of the WASL for the first time as well this year.

Extra time spent on in-class exercises and the school science fair are just a few of the things Barr thinks have proved most helpful in preparing the students for the weeks of testing still ahead.

A positive outcome so far on the discussion seems to be the agreement between district 13 Legislative representatives and educators from around the Basin, who have expressed a need to look at further alternatives.

"Our whole school funding system is largely out of balance," said Rep. Bill Hinkle, R-Cle Elum.

Hinkle said he doesn't believe spending funds on WASL is a wise investment and with continued disagreement on the issue, even within his own party, foresees that it could be awhile before alternatives to WASL are considered.

Around the Basin, districts with grants through GEAR UP and other programs said the bill would not add anymore financial burden for their school, but remained concerned about effects on districts without grants and being able to reach out to low-performing students who may choose not to participate in programs designed to help them.

"If Soap Lake wasn't as fortunate as it is to have those opportunities it could potentially put a small district into a financial pinch," said Shane Couch, principal of the Soap Lake Middle School and High School, whose district was awarded a 21st Century Learning Center Grant earlier this year.

Michelle Price, assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction for the Moses Lake School District, a district that already has summer school programs in place, said one of the critical needs of many districts is finding incentives for low performing students to want to be at school and do well academically.

Dan Martell, principal at Ephrata High School, agreed with Price, and applauded the bill's proposal to return student WASL scores to the schools by June 1, rather than waiting until the following school year, and with the implementation of model curriculum to assist low performing students, but said forcing students to attend summer school is not the answer.

"We should be looking for incentives for kids rather than a thou shalt (mentality)," said Martell.

Rep. Janea Holmquist, R-Moses Lake, said she agrees alternatives need to be considered.

"We need some flexibility and some options out there for making sure our kids are on track for WASL," she said, naming career and technical program alternatives and community support for childhood literacy programs as other possibilities.

State Senator Joyce Mulliken, R-Ephrata, believes the bill proposal demonstrates that not all students are test takers and should not be forced to attend summer school or to perform to the WASL.

"We need to not look at just the WASL to demonstrate a student's academic knowledge," said Mulliken.