This morning I participated on a panel for the release of a report from the Center on Education Policy (CEP) on the effects the WASL has had on teaching and instruction in Washington. While everyone agrees that we can’t “assess” our way to boosting the achievement of every student, it turns out that the implementation of the WASL has improved students' skills—particularly in reasoning and writing.

How you ask? CEP has the answers. Based on their study—entitled “Lessons from the Classroom Level”—of six schools in six Washington districts, interviews with school administrators, teachers, students, and parents, and formal classroom observations, CEP found that:

• The state standards and tests have had a significant impact on curriculum.
• The testing format of the Washington Assessment of Student Learning has encouraged teachers to emphasize student reasoning and writing skills and has helped students improve these skills, in the view of study participants.
• The nature of the WASL appears not to have stifled teachers from being creative in their instruction.
• Several districts and schools offer additional courses or interventions for students who have failed or are at risk of failing state tests.
• Many teachers and administrators suggested improving the WASL rather than eliminating it.
• Teachers and administrators also proposed changes to NCLB and related state accountability requirements.
• School administrators, staff, students, and parents were confused about the future of the WASL as a graduation requirement and the impact of standards.

The last point rings particularly true for our state right now. CEP began their study before the November 2008 election and the announcement of Supt. Dorn’s plans to replace the WASL, which tossed researchers quite a curveball in terms of how the WASL is viewed by students, teachers and parents.

Parents and students have long been confused about the nature of state assessments as a graduation requirement, as well as the standards behind the tests. And while Supt. Dorn’s plans to replace the WASL may address the concerns of many voters, mass confusion about requirements remains.

CEP offered little in the way of suggestions to address this problem, but I ultimately found their findings encouraging in light of the incredible work those in Washington’s education system have done to make sure students are appropriately assessed and instruction is tailored to ensure students meet state standards. To close, I'll leave you with the words of one Washington teacher:

[B]efore I was designing my curriculum based on
what I felt the kids needed to know. And now, I have
someone else not dictating to me, but justifying what
I’m teaching in a way. So I’m not alone. This is what
the state department of education has determined that
the kids need to know . . . And so I feel more confident
that I’m giving the kids what they need.

And isn’t that the point?

You can read CEP’s report, “Lessons from the Classroom Level: Federal and State Accountability in Washington State,” at their website.