However, while many schools test all or nearly all students enrolled, many other schools do not. Student groups with the lowest achievement levels typically have the highest percentages of students who were not included in statewide testing. School results based only on students tested would be higher for schools that do not test lower achieving students than they would be if the same schools tested all students. Students who are disadvantaged by mobility, economic status, disabilities or limited-English proficiency are tested at lower rates than other more advantaged students. Table 1 displays the percentages of students not taking WSAS tests at eighth-grade by disadvantaged and nondisadvantaged student groups.
Percentages vary by subject.
According to state law, districts may exclude two categories of students from WSAS testing. Actual practices regarding exclusions vary widely across schools with many excluding all or nearly all students in one or both of these groups and many others excluding none. State law requires that school districts administer the WSAS to all other students. A three-week testing window is provided to allow local flexibility in scheduling and for administering makeup tests to students who are absent on test day. WSAS test participation rates vary across schools and school districts due in part to different local makeup-testing practices.