One More Reason Why We Won't WASL

March 31, 2006; Columbian

The state of Minnesota paid out seven million in a class-action lawsuit because Pearson Education Measurement incorrectly scored 45,739 tests. Many students missed graduation and college opportunities due to the testing company's errors. That same year errors totally 12,000 happened in Arizona. In 2005, Pearson mis-scored tests in Virginia, again causing students to miss graduation. Settlements occurred before this was taken to court. Here in Washington,  scoring errors on 204,000 writing WASL's occurred in 1999. Just this month another scoring error was reported.  This time, Pearson incorrectly scored 4,000 SAT tests.

Our state's superintendent and the Washington Roundtable, would have parents trust WASL scores more than any other indicator of their children's educational achievement, our children's graduations hinge on passing this test. Pearson Education Measurement has proven itself and its scoring to be anything but infallible.

In addition many parents that have viewed their child’s scored WASL have found errors. OSPI currently has no policy in place for re scoring WASL test where errors have been found. We have a statement from OSPI that states, this spring a policy will be in place but parents will have to pay to have their child’s WASL re scored.

One more reason why we won't WASL and why your shouldn't either!

Just OPT Out, it is your legal right! For more information on this issue please visit www.MothersAgainstWASL.org

Lisa Sampson

Executive Board Member Parent Empowerment Network / Mothers Against WASL