More than 90 percent of seniors meet key graduation requirement
Success rates for all ethnic groups exceed 80 percent

OLYMPIA - June 3, 2008 - Of this year's high schools seniors, 91.4 percent have met a new, more rigorous state graduation requirement by demonstrating they have solid reading and writing skills.

Washington State Superintendent Terry Bergeson announced this good news about the Class of 2008 today in a press conference highlighting a major milestone in the state's efforts to make a high school diploma more meaningful.

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"This is a moment we've been waiting to celebrate for more than a decade," she said. "Washington's educators have spent so much time making sure every student is well prepared for college, careers and citizenship, and these results show that hard work has paid off.

"For the first time ever, we know that the students leaving our high schools have the reading and writing skills they need to succeed in their lives, no matter what paths they choose."

Seniors in all major demographic groups were highly successful in meeting the assessment requirement. Success rates ranged from 84.3 percent (Hispanic/Latino) to 92.9 percent (Asian), as shown below:

American Indian/Alaska Native-- 84.6
Asian-- 92.9
Black/African American-- 85.9
Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander-- 86.0
Hispanic/Latino-- 84.3
Caucasian/White-- 92.8
Multiracial-- 88.9

Most seniors met the requirement - which consists of passing the Washington Assessment of Student Learning (WASL) or completing one of several alternatives - in the 10th or 11th grade. Today's announcement folds in results from 12th-graders who took the WASL this spring to provide cumulative results for all students enrolled in 12th grade. Districts were given scores on May 27 so that affected students would know their status before their graduation ceremonies.

Results for 9th, 10th and 11th-graders who took the WASL this spring will be released June 16. Results for students in grades three through eight will be available later this summer.

Of the 2,992 12th-graders who took the reading WASL this spring, 1,723 met standard (57.6 percent). For writing, 1,849 met standard out of 2,779 taking the test (66.5 percent).

Including those students who previously met standard in reading and writing, a total of 91.4 percent of seniors in the Class of 2008 (61,327 out of 67,099 students) have met the assessment requirement. The 91.4 percent breaks down as follows:

More than 85 percent passed the WASL
Less than 4 percent passed an alternate assessment designed for some students enrolled in special education programs
Less than 1 percent completed an alternative assessment option, or earned a special waiver of the requirements
On the WASL math test, 48,543 of this year's Class of 2008 12th-graders (72.4 percent) met state standards in 10th, 11th or 12th grade. Passing the math test is not required for graduation, though students must take math courses and annually attempt the WASL or another state-approved alternative.

New graduation requirements kick in

The Class of 2008 is the first class that must complete four requirements to graduate:

Pass state standards-based assessments (typically the WASL) or legislatively approved alternatives
Complete a High School and Beyond Plan
Complete a Culminating Project
Earn sufficient credits (19 are required by the state, but most districts require more)
The Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction tracks student performance on the first of the four requirements. Districts maintain all records on student credits, projects and plans, and won't report final graduation data on the class of 2008 to the state until later this year.

Evidence gathered by researchers at Washington State University suggests that lack of credits - not the WASL - will be the biggest reason why some 12th-graders may not graduate this spring. In a sample of more than 10,000 seniors taken late last fall, only 5.3 percent hadn't met standard on the WASL but were on track to have the required credits to graduate. More than 31 percent were behind on credits, regardless of their WASL status.

Taking extra time

Many options exist for students not graduating this spring, whether they lack credits or need to demonstrate their reading and writing skills. Because the school year ends Aug. 31, 12th-graders can still take the August WASL and graduate in their senior year. If they have taken the WASL at least once, they also may use an alternative option, such as SAT scores, to demonstrate their reading and/or writing skills. Beyond that, students have three free options:

Stay in high school
Enroll in a high school completion program on a community college campus
Continue in Running Start (a program that allows eligible 11th- and 12th-grade students to take college classes tuition free and accrue both high school and college credits for those classes)
For students not wanting to return to high school, paid options exist, such as pursuing a General Education Development certificate or enrolling in a college or university. For further information, see the attached document, "Options for Students Not Graduating After Four Years of High School."

"There is a tremendous amount of support available to students who have fallen behind and need more time," Bergeson said. "We want to end the stigma attached to staying in school an extra semester or year. The crucial element is gaining the skills and knowledge to make sure that you're ready for what comes next.

"My message to you is, ‘Don't give up. We are there to support you.'"

Looking to the future

According to Bergeson, much work still needs to be done. "We need to know more about the students who have not yet demonstrated they have the necessary reading and writing skills to earn a diploma," she said. "They need to keep getting the help they need during the summer, into next fall, as long as it takes to help them be successful.

"We must do more to provide staff support at each one of our high schools. School staff members are stretched to the breaking point in providing the personalized learning and guidance support each of our students needs.

"We must continue to put extra effort into identifying middle school students at risk of not making a successful transition to high school, and increase the personal and academic help we offer to them.

"And all of this costs money. We're now expecting far more of students and teachers, and they've delivered. But we haven't delivered all of the resources they need. The funding system for our schools is in crisis and it must be fixed. As we work to ensure that the students in the Class of 2008, and all future classes, have the support they need to be prepared for their next step, we've got to get serious about devoting the full resources needed to make that happen.

"The Class of 2008 and the educators who support them have made an incredible start. We need to support them in continued success. The citizens of our state have every reason to celebrate along with the Class of 2008."