Tests needed, and not needed, to graduate

Check out the most recent Friday memo to the Board for the test requirements for graduation.

It includes this entry:

Is this correct? If students have already taken and passed the EOC exams for algebra and/or geometry, they do not need to take the SBAC Math assessment to graduate. Yes. If students pass the Algebra or Geometry EOC assessments, they would meet the graduation requirement. However, the Smarter Balanced Assessment would still be required by the state for accountability.
I guess we'll be seeing a lot of students opting out of an unnecessary test again this year.

Comments

Charlie Mas said…
If the SBAC replaces the EOC as a graduation requirement, then why do we continue to administer the EOC?
Anonymous said…
Requirements vary by graduating class, so some students that have taken the math EOCs in middle school will still have to take the high school math SBAC, while others won't. Some current middle school students were not given the opportunity to take the math EOCs in middle school, as they will be part of the graduating classes of 2019 and beyond and will be required to take both the math and ELA SBAC in high school. At some point, the Biology EOC will be replaced with NGSS tests.

http://www.k12.wa.us/assessment/StateTesting/default.aspx

-a parent
Anonymous said…
a parent.

Where did you read that student's who passed a Math EOC in middle school may still need to take the Math SBAC? I don't see any that anywhere on the link you shared. And high school admins are not making it clear, one way or another.

HS parent
Anonymous said…
HS parent, it depends on the graduating year of the student. For current high school students, graduating no later than 2018 (current sophomores and older), a passing score on either the Algebra or Geometry EOC will count toward graduation requirements. They only need to take the ELA SBAC if they have a passing math EOC score. For younger students, graduating 2019 or later (current freshman and younger), they must take both the Math and ELA SBAC, even if they already have a passing Algebra of Geometry EOC score. See the "Tests Required for Graduation" table on the OSPI link.

-a parent
Anonymous said…
I understand now:
If a student took/passed an EOC in middle school, it counts, which covers 2016-17 grads.

2018 grads will not have the opportunity to take/pass an EOC Math in any grade and will have to take the 11th SBAC Math.

Unless that changes in midstream for those kids.

HS Parent
Anonymous said…
Not completely correct, HS parent.

2016, 2017, and 2018 grads (current sophomores or older) do not have to take the high school Math SBAC if they already have a passing score on the Algebra or Geometry EOC. No matter when they took the math EOC, middle school or high school, a passing score counts toward the graduation requirement.

-a parent
z said…
To fill in a bit, according to that chart I believe a current freshman who took EOCs for Alg/Geo/Bio in middle school (typical for APP) will indeed need to take Smarter Balance math and LA (yes, a big waste of time!), but should be covered for science.

Is this the way others are reading that chart?

And... What are the chances that these requirements will still be in place in 2019?!
Anonymous said…
z-
I don't think that is correct.

My read is that ANY student - no matter the grade and graduation year - who has passed one EOC math - in any grade - will have met the State math requirement. And not have to take the SBAC Math.

Beginning w/ the 2018 cohort, they will not have been given the opportunity to take an EOC Math, in any grade, so they will have to take/pass the SBAC Math as well as the SBAC ELA.


HS Parent
Anonymous said…
According to state law (RCW 28A.655.061), students in the graduating class of 2019 and beyond may only use the SBAC ELA and math assessments plus the Biology EOC to graduate. Even if a student in this graduating class passed a math EOC, they may not use those results for graduation purposes.

--- aka
Anonymous said…
HS parent, there are current 8th graders who have taken a math EOC - they took Algebra in 6th grade when the EOCs were still administered to middle schoolers. They still have to take the Math SBAC in high school. Classes 2019 and beyond are not grandfathered. How I wish they would allow the SAT or ACT to be another means of meeting graduation requirements, instead of requiring students to take up valuable class time with the SBAC.

-a parent
Anonymous said…
Correct. Class of 2019 is the first that can't use an EOC to meet the math graduation test requirement. They CAN still use the Biology EOC for the science requirement.

Class of 2019 is 9th grade now. It doesn't make much sense for them to take the Alg or Geom EOC exams this year, although I suspect they will still offer those tests since many of their classmates can in fact use them to meet the requirement.

HF
Anonymous said…
@ a parent, you CAN use the ACT or the SAT to fulfill the requirement, although you need to have first taken and not passed the state exam. So that doesn't really help with the lost class time.

HF
Anonymous said…
a parent, students can use the SAT or ACT for graduation purposes, but they have to attempt the SBAC assessments first.

--- aka
Charlie Mas said…
I'm so glad the District staff have made all of this so clear. I think the confusion they create works in their favor since they want kids to take the SBAC whether the kids need them for graduation or not.
mirmac1 said…
It is sad that a student must deliberately muff an SBA exam so that an alternative exam that is more meaningful be used in its place for graduation. This highlights the fallacy of high-stakes testing and the test abuse of our kids.
Anonymous said…
Sorry a parent, I didn't realize there is a cohort of MS who have taken/passed a Math EOC for, as it turns out, no reason.

Simply amazing to me how messed up this is.

Too bad that state can't a hard look at how much time and money is being wasted.

HS parent
Anonymous said…
How seriously can any of these exams (SBAC/PARCC) be taken when the graders are inexperienced, hired via Craigslist, and make maybe $11/hr depending on the area? If these exams are so all-important, then perhaps they should be graded by professionals? Even better, maybe the tests should be written by professionals - like the ones who ACTUALLY work with students?
Actions speak louder than words. In this case, the actions say the tests are crap, even as the talking heads spout words to say the tests are important.
Whatever.

CT
AroundTheCountry said…
Long Island students opt out of Common Core state exam


At least 46.5 percent of the students eligible to take Common Core state math tests this week opted out, according to figures supplied by most of Long Island's school districts. Here are the details, along with figures on students who opted out of last week's English tests. Where the table is blank, that district did not respond to our request for information or refused to give figures. The Rockville Centre eligible student figure for English is based on a Newsday calculation. The map either gives an overall opt-out percentage or the percentage for either math or English, as noted. Data posted at 7 p.m., April 24, 2015"
Anonymous said…
Can someone explain if there are graduation requirement ramifications for current middle school students (graduating after 2019) opting out of SBAC. Is there only a high school level test requirement they need to meet for graduation? Or is SBAC required to be taken for all grades middle-high school in order to graduate.
-clarification needed

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