Common Core and Smarter Balanced, High School, Intro Letter, Fall 2014
Recommended supplemental materials: Common Core State Standards/Smarter Balanced Assessment Hot Topics
(http://www.k12.wa.us/Communications/HotTopics/HotTopic-CommonCore.pdf)
Dear Parents/Guardians [or actual names]:
Starting this school year, our state’s learning standards are now aligned to the Common Core State
Standards in math and English language arts. The transition began when State Superintendent Randy
Dorn adopted the new standards in 2011. Each school district has been making the transition
according to what works best for their teachers and students.
New state standards mean new state tests. Washington is participating in the Smarter Balanced
Assessment Consortium, along with 23 other states. It is a state-led consortium working to develop
next-generation assessments that accurately measure student progress toward college- and careerreadiness.
This spring students in grades 3 through 8 and grade 11 will take the new Smarter Balanced tests in
math and English language arts. Passing the 11th-grade Smarter Balanced tests is not required for
graduation until the Class of 2019 (this year’s 8th graders). Please see the next page for assessment
requirements by class.
The new learning standards are more challenging than the standards they replaced. Some students
who were considered proficient using the old standards will have a more difficult time reaching
proficiency using the new standards. The results from these new tests will give a more accurate
picture of whether students are on track to be college or career ready after high school.
Students will take the tests online. Our school is scheduled to take the tests [insert your school’s
testing dates].
For more information about the Smarter Balanced tests and to try out a practice test yourself, please
visit www.k12.wa.us/smarter. More information about the Common Core may be found at
www.k12.wa.us/corestandards.
Please call or email [insert school or district contact person/team] if you have questions about
state testing.
Thank you for continuing to work with us to make sure your child is successful. Please let us know if
there is anything we can do to better support your child. We want your child to leave us with a solid
foundation of skills and a future full of opportunities.
Sincerely,
[Insert principal’s name]
Assessment Requirements for High School Diploma
Subject
Classes of 2015 & 2016
Classes of 2017 & 2018
Class of 2019
English
Language Arts
Reading and Writing HSPEs
- OR10th grade ELA Exit Exam
based on the Common Core*
- OR11th-grade Smarter Balanced
ELA Test**
10th-grade ELA Exit Exam
based on the Common Core
- OR11th-grade Smarter Balanced
ELA Test
11th-grade Smarter Balanced
ELA Test
Math
Algebra I/Integrated Math 1 EOC
- ORGeometry/Integrated Math 2 EOC
- ORAlgebra 1/Integrated Math 1 EOC Exit Exam based on the
Common Core*
- ORGeometry/Integrated Math 2 EOC Exit Exam based on the
Common Core*
- OR11th-grade Smarter Balanced Math Test*
Science
Biology EOC
- ORComprehensive NGSS Test**
11th-grade Smarter Balanced
Math Test
* This test is not available until late spring 2015.
** Until Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) are implemented and assessed, students will be required to pass
the Biology EOC. After NGSS are implemented and assessed, they will be required to pass a Comprehensive NGSS Test.
The timeline of implementation/assessment of NGSS is undetermined.
High School Proficiency Exams: HSPEs are comprehensive exams that measure the basic proficiency of
high school students in reading and writing, and serve as the state’s exit exams in those subjects.
End-of-Course Exams: EOCs measure the knowledge of students in algebra 1/integrated math 1,
geometry/integrated math 2 and biology when they complete each course. They serve as the state’s exit
exams for math and science.
ELA Exit Exams and Math EOC Exit Exams: Based on the Common Core State Standards, the state will
administer new English language arts (ELA) exit exams and math EOC exit exams to align with the new
standards beginning in the 2014-15 school year.
Most Washington state public high school students will fulfill the assessment portion of the graduation
requirements by passing state exit exams. If students don’t pass on their first attempt, there are retake
opportunities.
Some students, however, may need to demonstrate their skills in a different way. For these students,
state-approved alternatives are available, called Certificate of Academic Achievement (CAA) options.
Please visit www.k12.wa.us/assessment/CAAoptions to find out more about the options.