The Vox Box

Thu., Jan. 22, 2009

No more WASL!

Congratulations, Washington State students between the grades of 3 and 12! Straight from Olympia comes the news that this year will be our very last WASLing year ever. Here's one of many articles about it from the Seattle Times.

That's the good news. The bad news is that it will be replaced with a new test, which we will also need to graduate called the Measurements of Student Progress. It would would be given twice a year in grades three through eight. High school students would have multiple chances to pass the new "High School Proficiency Exams."

We can thank our new Washington State superindentant, who just took the oath of office last week.

Under state law, the superintendent can, in consultation with the state Board of Education, develop and revise a statewide test. Leaders of the education committees in the House and Senate may ask to review any changes.

Posted Jan. 22, 2009, 9:55 a.m.

In 2006, then-editor Steve Smith of The Spokesman-Review had the idea of starting a publication for an often forgotten audience: teenagers. The Vox Box was a continuation of the Vox, an all-student staffed newspaper published by The Spokesman-Review. High school student journalists who staffed the Vox made all content decisions as they learn about the trade of journalism. This blog's mission was to give students an opportunity to publish their voices. The Vox Box and the Vox wrapped up in June 2009, but you can follow former staffers' new blog at http://voxxiez.blogspot.com.