Lake Washington students shine on Smarter Balanced Assessments

Students continue to score well-above state averages

Redmond, Wash. –Lake Washington School District (LWSD) students continue to score well-above the state average in all areas tested by the Smarter Balanced Assessments (SBA).

“Student performance on state assessments is one important measure of academic achievement and progress,” noted Dr. Traci Pierce, superintendent. “We are pleased with our results and our teachers, building administrators will continue to work hard to ensure that every single student in our district is learning, growing, and succeeding.”

Students in grades 3-8 and in grade 11 took the Smarter Balanced Assessments in English Language Arts and in Math. In English Language Arts, the percent of LWSD students meeting the new standards ranged from 79 percent in sixth grade to a high of 87 percent in 11th grade. At the state level, the percent of students meeting the standard in English Language Arts ranged from 53 percent in grade 3 to a high of 74 percent in grade 11. 

In grades 3-8 Math, the percent of LWSD students meeting the standard ranged from 74.5 percent in eighth grade to a high of 82 percent in third grade. At the state level, the percent of students meeting the standard ranged from nearly 48 percent in grade eight to nearly 58 percent in grade three.

This year, the greatest gains for LWSD were in fifth grade math (an increase of 2.9% over 2016), and sixth grade math (an increase of 2.5% over 2016).

Science scores continued to be measured in fifth and eighth grades by the Measurements of Student Progress (MSP). In LWSD, 86.7 percent of fifth grade students met the standard in 2017. At the state level, fifth grade scores decreased to 63.4 percent at standard in 2017 from 65.3 percent at standard in 2016. 

In eighth grade science, 86.0 percent of LWSD students met the standard. Eighth grade scores at the state level decreased to 65.9 percent in 2017 from 67.5 percent in 2016.

Students in the class of 2018, those who were juniors last spring, must pass the Smarter Balanced English Language Arts test to satisfy a graduation requirement. Nearly 87 percent of LWSD 11th grade students met the standard by taking the test last spring or in 2016 as 10th grade students.

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About Lake Washington: Lake Washington School District  is a high-performing public school district serving Kirkland, Redmond, and Sammamish, Washington. It is the third largest district in the state of Washington, with over 29,000 students in 52 schools.