Certificate of Academic Achievement Options
All Washington state high school students must show they have key reading and writing skills by graduation. Most students will meet this requirement by passing a state exam. Some students with strong skills, however, may need to use an assessment to demonstrate their skills. For these students, state-approved alternatives are available, called Certificate of Academic Achievement (CAA) Options.
Beginning in the 2009-2010 school year, the high school
Washington Assessment of Student Learning (WASL) was replaced by the
High School
Proficiency Exam (HSPE). If a student has previously passed the WASL in a
specific content area (e.g., reading), the student is not required to take the
HSPE. Visit www.WAtesting.com for more information and a frequently asked
questions section.
What are the three CAA Options?
- Collection of Evidence: Students compile a set of classroom work samples with the help of a teacher. Collections for students in Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs can include work from their CTE program and other classes.
- HSPE/Grades Comparison:
A student’s grades in English courses and/or math courses are compared with the
grades of students who took the same courses AND passed the WASL/HSPE. This
option is available to students in their 12th grade year.
- Advanced Placement and College Admission Test Scores:
Students may use their scores on the SAT reading and math reasoning tests, ACT
reading and math tests, and specified Advanced Placement examinations to show
they have key skills.
Is this law?
Yes. (RCW 28A.655.065)
Are the CAA Options easier than the WASL/HSPE?
No. The CAA Options are designed – and required by
law – to be as challenging as the Washington Assessment of Student
Learning (WASL) or High School Proficiency Exam (HSPE).
Who is eligible to use the CAA Options?
Students can use the CAA Options after taking the
high school WASL/HSPE once, or if they
transfer to a Washington public school in
the 11th or 12th grade. There are specific requirements for these options.
Do eligible students have to use the CAA Options?
No. Students may take the HSPE. Students have five opportunities from spring of
10th grade to spring of their 12th grade year to take WASL/HSPE and earn a CAA.
May students keep taking the WASL/HSPE if they’re working on one of the CAA Options?
Yes.
May a student use the high school WASL/HSPE to meet standard in one area and use a CAA Option in the other(s)?
Yes.
Is there someone at each school parents/guardians and students can talk to about the CAA Options?
Yes. The school’s CAA Options building facilitator, the student’s counselor or the school principal.
Who is eligible for the Special, Unavoidable Circumstance Appeal?
Students in their 12th grade year who have not met standard on the HSPE (or
an approved alternative), and experience a
special, unavoidable circumstance
that precludes their ability to access a state-approved assessment as a senior,
may appeal to a state review board.
What is the Student Transfer Waiver?
Students who transfer into Washington public schools during their 11th or 12th
grade year may apply to have the assessment graduation requirement waived if
they have previously passed another state’s high school exam. These students
also have immediate access to CAA Options. In addition, students exempted from
the high school assessment in 10th grade because of their status as new
non-English proficient (NNEP) also have immediate access to the CAA Options in
the content areas where they received the exemption.
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