A Message from the Department of Teaching and Learning

This spring, students in grades 3 through 8 and high school will take state assessments in math, English language arts and science.

• Grades 3-8 and 10 will take the Smarter Balanced English language arts (ELA) and math assessments.
• Grades 5, 8 and 11 will take the Washington Comprehensive Assessment of Science (WCAS)

These assessments give students, families and schools valuable data to help us understand student and school academic strengths and challenges. Our schools use this data to adjust curriculum and instruction, and to work directly with students based on what the assessments show about reading, writing, math, and/or science outcomes.
These assessments are untimed and designed to be administered over multiple online sessions.

Your school will be sending follow-up information with specific testing dates and times. For more information about what these tests measure and why we give them, please see our website or the state’s website at ospi.k12.wa.us/student-success/testing/state-testing.

The Bellingham Promise, the district’s strategic plan, guides everything we do for our students, families, community and staff. One of BPS’ core beliefs is to focus on the whole child. State tests are only one benchmark; other measures and evidence are just as important in assessing the development of our kids. We encourage you to keep these tests in perspective of our overall goals.

Schools can review preliminary results from these tests later this spring. The state provides a Family Score Report next fall and we will notify families when those reports are available in your child(ren)’s Portfolio on Skyward Family Access. You may also request a paper copy of the score report in the fall by calling your school.

Don’t forget a good night’s sleep and healthy breakfast are an essential part of every school day. For additional information about state testing and our state learning standards, please visit the state’s website at ospi.k12.wa.us/student-success.

If you have questions about state assessments, please contact your school or Brian.Rick@bellinghamschools.org