Testing Students in Washington State

Beginning in the 2009-10 school year, two new tests replace the Washington Assessment of Student Learning (WASL). In spring 2010, Washington will begin online testing in grades 6-8 in reading and math. Visit Washington's Online Testing Web site to download tutorials, view demos, and more.

Measurements of Student Progress (MSP)
The name of the MSP, given to students in grades 3-8, conveys the goal of the test: to measure student progress. The dates for testing in spring 2010 are May 12-28 for paper-and-pencil and May 3-June 4 for online testing in grades 6-8 in reading and math.

High School Proficiency Exam (HSPE)
This test measures the proficiency of students in high school and serves as the state’s exit exam. Students must pass this assessment or a state-approved alternative in reading and writing in order to be eligible to graduate. The dates for testing in spring 2010 are March 16-18 (reading is one day; writing is two) and April 13 (math) and April 15 (science).

The new tests are shorter to take, but will remain just as rigorous. The new tests are also available online over the next few years, starting with reading and math in grades 6-8 in spring 2010.

About one percent of students participate in the Washington Alternate Assessment System (WAAS), a challenging program for students in special education.

Washington Assessment of Student Learning (WASL) was given as the state assessment from spring 1997 to summer 2009. It was replaced by the MSP and HSPE.

View the Rollout Schedule for Online Testing. Also, view a state testing history timeline to see the years each subject was phased in at each grade level.