Laurel Nanke
CAA Options Operations, OSPI
WERA Conference - December 2008

The CAA Options, including changes this year

Eligibility for the CAA Options

The Out of State Transfer Waiver

Special, Unavoidable Circumstances Waiver,
including in state transfer direct access
to CAA Options


CAA = Certificate of Academic Achievement
To graduate with a CAA a student must earn
it by either:
◦ Passing all 3 of the WASL tests: Reading, Writing,
and Mathematics, OR
◦ Meeting standard in all 3 content areas on one of
the CAA Options (if eligibility requirements are
met)


CAA Options are alternate ways to meet the
WASL graduation requirement, other than
meeting standard on the WASL.
These options have been mandated by the
Washington state legislature and they are
implemented and administered by OSPI.


ESSB 6475 in 2006 Legislative Session created
these Options
Intent of the Bill
◦ Primary way to meet standards is the WASL
◦ Alternatives must be comparable in rigor
◦ For access, students must make “genuine effort” on
the WASL, or transfer from out of state in 11 or 12

Bill approved three “objective alternative
assessments”

Laws and Administrative Codes that govern
the CAA Options, Out of State Waiver, and
Special Circumstances Waiver
◦ Revised Code of Washington (RCW) sections:
28A.655.061and 28A.655.065
◦ Washington Administrative Code (WAC)s: Chapter
392.501 (Sections 392.501.001 through
392.501.606)

College Admission and AP Tests
◦ ACT, SAT, and certain Advanced Placement tests

WASL/Grades Comparison

Collection of Evidence (COE)

(The Out of State Transfer Student Waiver and the
Special, Unavoidable Circumstances Appeal process
are also available, although not CAA Options.)
 Two
gateways to eligibility

To be eligible to earn a CAA by using one of
the CAA Options, a student must either
◦ Have taken the WASL in that content area and
generated a scale score, OR
◦ Transfer into a Washington public school from out
of state or out of country in the 11th or 12th grade,
and send the completed Out of State Transfer form
to OSPI
Direct Access to CAA
Options
High School WASL
Met
Standards
By out-of-state transfer in 11th or
12th grade
Did Not Meet
Standards –
Generated a Score
To be eligible for the following options, a student
must take the WASL once and meet other eligibility
requirements as determined by OSPI or transfer from
out-of-state in the 11th or 12th grade.
Collection of Evidence
Student submits classroom-based
work samples from academic
and/or career/technical classes.
Specific collections can be designed
for Career and
Technical Education programs
WASL/Grades
Comparison
The student’s grades are
compared with the grades
of the students who took
the same courses and who
met the standard on the
WASL
SAT and ACT
State Board of
Education has set
cut scores
equivalent to the
WASL
Certificate of Academic Achievement


Students must make a “genuine effort” and
generate a scale score on the WASL in order
to be eligible for the CAA Options
Students must sit for both days of the test in
order to generate a scale score



Available to students who transfer into a
Washington public school from another state
or country in the 11th or 12th grade
These students have direct access to the CAA
Options without taking the WASL first
The Out of State Transfer Waiver form must
be submitted to OSPI to register the student’s
out of state status





Allows a student’s ACT, SAT, or AP test
scores to meet the reading, writing, and math
high school graduation standards
Test scores may be earned before or after
taking the WASL
Scores can be sent to OSPI and banked until a
WASL score is generated


The PSAT can no longer be used as a CAA
Option.
The last date that PSAT scores could be
submitted for use as a CAA Option was
August 31, 2008.




Scores that meet standard for CAA Options
Mathematics
Reading
Writing
SAT
470
350
380
ACT
19
13
15
Students receive a CAA if they score at least a 3 on
the grading scale of 1 to 5 on the following
Advanced Placement tests:



For mathematics, the Calculus or Statistics examination
For writing, the English Language and Composition
examination
For reading, the English Literature and Composition, World
History, United States History, United States Government and
Politics, Comparative Government and Politics, Psychology,
Macroeconomics, or Microeconomics

More information on this Option:

The score verification form is on the web at

http://www.k12.wa.us/assessment/CAAoptions/
pubdocs/1632.pdf
More information regarding the College
Tests:
http://www.k12.wa.us/assessment/CAAoptions/
Equivalency.aspx



For more information or assistance contact:
Lindsey Frazier at (360) 725-6507 or
[email protected] , OR
Laurel Nanke at (360) 725-6223 or
[email protected]



WASL/Grades Comparison option is an alternative
way for a student to meet standard for one or more
content areas of the WASL
This option compares one student’s grades in Math
courses and/or English Language Arts courses with
the grades of students who took the same courses
AND met standard on the WASL



May be used for meeting the high school reading,
writing and/or mathematics standard
Compares the applicant’s grades in applicable
courses with the grades of students who took the
same courses and met or exceeded the standard
Applicant’s grade point average is equal to or
greater than the mean grade point average of the
comparison cohort

Student must be in the 12th grade
◦ District student information system needs to show student
as being a senior prior to running the tool



Student must have a cumulative grade point
average of 3.2 or higher
Must have taken the WASL once, generated a score
and not met standard
Must have met any attendance and remediation
requirements
Frank
 Highest Math WASL
score = 390
 Took Algebra I and
Geometry
 Average grades for
the two classes: 2.9
Students in the high
school who took
Algebra I and
Geometry
The “Comparison
Cohort”
Students who
scored in Level 3
on the mathematics
assessment
Mean grades of
“Comparison
Cohort”: 2.7
Frank’s average
grades: 2.9
Meets the
mathematics
standard
25



A district representative or designee shall
determine the comparison cohort and complete the
calculation
Credits generated by the courses must equal two
annual high school credits and must include the
most recent courses taken
The application with the results of the calculation
are then sent to OSPI for approval

If a cohort group cannot be established using the
most recent classes, implement the following:
◦ Progressively select earlier classes for a student until a
cohort is established. Remember: same class, same year.
This is the only way to build a cohort.
◦ Begin by reviewing the junior and senior classes. If a
cohort is not established, move on to include sophomore
classes. If a cohort is not established, move on to the
freshman classes.

More information regarding the WASL/Grades
Comparison:
http://www.k12.wa.us/assessment/CAAoptions/
Comparison.aspx



For more information or assistance contact:
Lindsey Frazier at (360) 725-6507 or
[email protected] , OR
Laurel Nanke at (360) 725-6223 or
[email protected]



A legislatively approved alternative to the WASL
that is comparable in rigor to the WASL; WASL is
still the standard for assessing a student’s skills
and knowledge
Designed for students who have the skills and
knowledge assessed by the WASL


The Collection of Evidence (COE) is a classroomcentered collection of student work that features
examples of assignments that align with the state
standards.
It is one way a student can meet requirements for a
Certificate of Academic Achievement (CAA).

For information about COE updates,
documents, calendar and forms use the
following link: http://www.coe.k12.wa.us

Contacts for the COE:

Lesley Klenk: [email protected]

Amanda Mount: [email protected]


Students who transfer into a Washington
public school in the 11th or 12th grade are
eligible to use their other state test scores to
waive any or all three content areas of the
WASL, or to obtain direct access to CAA
Options.

Submitting this form can serve two purposes
for a student:
◦ It provides direct access to the CAA Options without
having to generate a WASL score (because it
provides proof of transfer from out-of-state).
◦ It waives the WASL requirement in a content area
when accompanied by documentation that the
student met standard on one of the 50 other U.S.
state tests (including the District of Columbia).


Students who transfer into a Washington
public school from out of state or country in
the 11th or 12th grade have direct access to
CAA Options (without having to take the
WASL first) by submitting the Out of State
Student Waiver form with an out of state or
country transcript.
This is one of the two eligibility gateways to
the CAA Options.


Students are eligible to receive a diploma without
meeting standard on the WASL or on an approved
alternative if they passed their previous state’s
high school exit exam or the exam used by the
state for No Child Left Behind assessment
purposes.
The waiver option “waives” the requirement of
passing the WASL for graduation purposes if the
student met standard on the out of state test.


Students seeking a waiver must have met
standard on the out of state test given in
that state to meet graduation requirements
or NCLB standards.
Students must submit the waiver
application form and documentation that
the other state standard was met on the out
of state test (transcript or test score report).


IMPORTANT: The Out of State Waiver does
NOT grant a CAA to a student. It only waives
the WASL requirement for graduation.
However, if the student submits the waiver
form, and later meets the cut score on the
COE, SAT or one of the other CAA Options,
and submits that documentation, a CAA will
be granted.


The Guidelines and application form can be
found at:
http://www.k12.wa.us/assessment/appeals
.aspx
Contact: Laurel Nanke at (360) 725-6223
or [email protected]

GPA
PSAT
Out of
State
Waiver
OOS
CAA
Access
Only
SAT
ACT
12
171
1148
183
14
163
1069
183
1083
183
Writing
Math
366
766
344
80
No Cut
Score Yet
95
Total
392
766
678
175
3300
183
Total
Students
389
766
548
146
1250
183
Reading


Students in their 12th grade year who have
been unable to demonstrate their skills and
knowledge on the high school WASL or
another assessment because of special,
unavoidable circumstances may appeal to
an OSPI-appointed review panel.

A special circumstances appeal needs to be
submitted with documentation:
◦ (1) detailing the student’s situation (i.e. medical
information, absentee records, accommodation
or IEP annotations, etc.)
◦ (2) that highlights the student’s academic record
(i.e. transcripts, standardized test results, other
high school records, etc.)

Reasons a student may not have been able to
sit for the WASL or other state-approved
alternative, and may request an appeal:
◦
◦
◦
◦
◦
◦
Death of a parent
Unexpected and/or severe medical condition
Irregularity in the administration of an assessment
Loss of assessment material
Failure to receive a documented accommodation
Transfers from out of state or out of country after
March 1 of the senior year
New: Starting in March 2008
In-state transfers from home or private
schools in the 12th grade ONLY may appeal
for direct access to CAA Options at the May 1
deadline
However, it must be shown that it was a
hardship for the student to take the WASL
that spring in order for the direct access to
use SAT or ACT scores to be granted




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Deadlines for filing the Special, Unavoidable
Circumstance appeals are May 1, August 1,
and October 1 of each year
Appeals for the May 1 deadline can be
submitted starting March 1


The guidelines and application form can be
found at http://www.k12.wa.us/assessment/
appeals.aspx
Contact: Michael Middleton at
(360) 725-6434 or
[email protected]

The three CAA Options:
◦ College and AP Tests
◦ WASL/Grades Comparison
◦ Collection of Evidence (COE)

Eligibility for the CAA Options

AND . . .



CAA Options and Out of State Transfer Waiver
Participation in 2007-2008
The Out of State Transfer Waiver
Special, Unavoidable Circumstances Waiver,
including in state transfer direct access
to CAA Options

Contact: Laurel Nanke at (360) 725-6223
or [email protected]