State Testing

Contact Information

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Washington students take state and federal tests regularly to assess their learning growth as well as the progress of the educational system as a whole. State tests include the following:

  • Smarter Balanced Assessments (SBA): English language arts (ELA) and math tests in grades 3–8 and 10 are required for federal and state accountability. The high school ELA and math assessments can also be used to meet a student's graduation pathway requirement.
  • Washington Comprehensive Assessment of Science (WCAS): Science tests for grades 5, 8, and 11 are required for federal and state accountability.
  • Washington - Access to Instruction and Measurement (WA-AIM): ELA, math, and science alternate assessments in grades 3–11 for students with significant cognitive disabilities documented in their Individualized Education Program (IEP) are required for federal and state accountability. The high school ELA and math assessments can be used to meet a student's graduation pathway requirement.
  • Washington Kindergarten Inventory of Skills (WaKIDS): This program helps bring families, teachers, and early learning providers together to support each kindergarten student's learning and transition into public schools.
  • WIDA Screener: Test that is used to determine the initial eligibility for English language development services for multilingual learners in grades K–12.
  • Annual WIDA ACCESS Assessments: Tests given to all students in grades K–12 who qualify for English language development services to determine which students remain eligible to continue receiving English language development services.
  • WIDA Alternate ACCESS: Test given to students in grades K–12 with significant cognitive disabilities who qualify for English language development services to determine which students remain eligible to continue receiving English language development services.
  • OSPI-Developed Assessments: Washington state developed classroom-based assessments for the Arts, Educational Technology, Health and Physical Education, and Social Studies based on the state's learning standards to help guide day-to-day instruction. State curriculum specialists create tasks and questions that model good assessments and provide them to local school districts.

The Smarter Balanced Assessment, Washington Comprehensive Assessment of Science, and WIDA tests may be taken with or without accessibility features. If a student's IEP documents the need for an accommodation that is not addressed within the guidelines, the student's IEP team may have their District Assessment Coordinator submit a Non-Standard Accommodation Request.

The state testing timeline shows the history of Washington’s assessments based on state academic achievement standards.

Assessment Development Committee Distribution Maps

The following maps show the distribution of Washington educators who participated in development of the Smarter Balanced assessments and the Washington Comprehensive Assessment of Science (WCAS).