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Greetings Science Colleagues,
The Spring 2021 administration of the Washington Comprehensive Assessment of Science (WCAS) is just around the corner. The test window opens April 12 and closes June 11. The science assessment team would like to share what’s the same, what’s different, and what’s yet to be determined for this year’s administration.
What’s the same?
Unlike the blueprints for the Smarter Balanced math and ELA Computer Adaptive Tests (CAT), the WCAS blueprints are not being shortened. The number of overall points and the ranges for the distribution of the points per reporting area for the 2021 WCAS are the same as they were for previous WCAS administrations.
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WCAS Grade
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Total Number of Points
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Distribution of Points per Reporting Area
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Practices and Crosscutting Concepts in Physical Sciences
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Practices and Crosscutting Concepts in Life Sciences
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Practices and Crosscutting Concepts in Earth & Space Sciences
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5
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35
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12-16
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8-12
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9-13
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8
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40
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12-16
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13-17
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9-13
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11
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45
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14-18
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14-18
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11-15
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The WCAS will be administered in-person. As with the Smarter Balanced summative math and ELA tests, there will be no remote testing.
Most students who are administered the WCAS will take the online version of the test. Paper testing is available only to support large print, braille, and standard print forms for students whose IEP or 504 plan states the use of one of these accommodations.
The resources that provide information about the WCAS are applicable to the 2021 administration. These include:
What’s different?
There will be no field test standalone items or item clusters on this year’s WCAS. Typically, 3-6 field test items are included on the WCAS. These items do not count toward students’ scores. Field test items may become part of the WCAS item bank and eligible for future administrations if student performance on the items falls within an acceptable range of parameters. The total time students spend taking the WCAS will most likely decrease slightly because the test won’t include field test items.
What’s yet to be determined?
Last week, the science assessment team sent you an email about the U.S. Department of Education’s (ED) recently released process for states to submit a waiver of some federal requirements for assessment and accountability in the 2020–21 school year. While some flexibility on requirements is being considered, ED is not inviting full waiver requests. The email included information about OSPI’s intent to submit a waiver request for a representative sample of schools to take the test.
OSPI is proposing to test a representative sample of Washington students in English language arts (ELA), math, and science in the spring of 2021. If the request is approved, assessments would be administered in five grade levels, with only one subject per grade level.
OSPI accepted public comment on the proposal from March 16-22. After reviewing comments and incorporating feedback, OSPI submitted the waiver request to the U.S. Department of Education on March 23.
OSPI does not yet have information from the ED regarding the waiver and whether it will be approved. OSPI will be meeting with the ED in the next several days to discuss the waiver request.
Additional Resources
Information about Washington’s waiver proposal is available on the OSPI website.
For spring testing information specific to your school district, please contact your District Test Coordinator. Their contact information is available on the Test Administration Contact Information webpage under “District Test Coordinator Contact Information for Washington Public School Districts”.
For information regarding spring 2021 test timelines and calendars, please see the Timelines and Calendar webpage.
Questions? Email science@k12.wa.us
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