The 7th and 10th grade tests will be phased in over the next few years and will be required by the time this year's 5th graders are in those grades. Last year's 4th graders are the first Washington state class to experience the total reform movement from 4th grade through their high school years. State reform calls for students to earn a Certificate of Mastery when they are in high school, at the 10th grade. Students will be required to pass the Certificate of Mastery test in order to graduate from high school. Parents can do a great deal to ensure their children are meeting higher academic standards at school.
Children spend far more time at home than they do in school.
How they spend their time at home makes the difference. The new state tests are specifically designed to measure student progress in achieving the state's essential academic learning requirements. They will not replace other tests mandated by the state such as the Comprehensive Test of Basic Skills given earlier in the year to the 4th graders. The new state tests were not created to determine whether your child will pass or fail the 4th grade. They are intended to measure what students are learning, and to help teachers at subsequent grade levels have information about where their new students may need help.