LW students score well on state assessments

Lake Washington students continue to score well above state average on state assessments

Sep 17 2018

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).

“We are pleased to share these results with our community,” noted Dr. Jane Stavem, Superintendent.  “Our teachers, staff and 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 10 took the Smarter Balanced Assessments in English Language Arts (ELA) and in Math. This is a change from previous years, when grade 11 was used as the federal accountability testing grade in high school for ELA and Math. Students in grades 5, 8 and 11 also took new science tests. These tests are based on Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), adopted by Washington state in 2013.

In English Language Arts, the percentage of LWSD students meeting the new standards ranged from 80.5 percent in sixth grade to a high of 88.7 percent in 10th grade. At the state level, the percentage of students meeting the standard in English Language Arts ranged from 55.5 percent in grade three to a high of 69.5 percent in grade 10. (See the chart below for scores for each grade level.) 

In Math, the percentage of LWSD students meeting the standard ranged from 72.3 percent in 10th grade to a high of 80.1 percent in sixth grade. At the state level, the percentage of students meeting the standard ranged from 40.6 percent in grade 10 to 57.5 percent in grade three.

This year, the greatest gains for LWSD were in sixth grade math (an increase of 2.4% over 2017), and fifth grade ELA (an increase of 1.6% over 2017).

Beginning in spring 2018, science scores were measured by the new Washington Comprehensive Assessment of Science (WCAS), based on the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). This replaces the Measurements of Student Progress (MSP) science assessment at grades 5 and 8 and the Biology End-of-Course (EOC) exam at high school.  Passing the science assessment is not required for students until the Class of 2021.

In LWSD, 81.9 percent of fifth grade students met the science standard in 2018. This is down from a high of 86.7 percent on the MSP in 2017. At the state level, only 55.2 percent of fifth graders met the state science standard.

In eighth grade science, 78.3 percent of LWSD students met the standard. At the state level, only 52.9 percent of eighth graders met the state science standard.

Similar to the state, the district continues to see gaps in achievement and will continue to analyze those gaps to ensure supports are in place to help all students succeed.

“It is important that we continue to evaluate and assess our scores to ensure we are meeting the needs of all students,” said Dr. Stavem.