OLYMPIA, Washington - In response to the current discussions and challenges in mathematics in Washington state, the Washington Association of School Administrators (WASA) has announced it is endorsing the position paper, “Achieving Success for All Students in Mathematics” prepared by the Snohomish County Superintendents.

The paper was circulated to all WASA members for comments in October and calls for three recommendations for action:

1. Professional development.

2. Aligned standards, materials and assessment.

3. Coherent intervention plans. 

The paper also calls for a public partnership to engage in a statewide campaign to inform legislators, parents, the general public, educators and media of the importance for all students to learn to think mathematically.

The second position that WASA is taking is to recommend a four-year delay in implementing the high school WASL mathematics standard of passing the test at level 3 or better. We are recommending a modification in the graduation requirements that would allow students who do not pass the WASL math section to successfully pass a math class in the student’s junior or senior year that is aligned with the state learning standards. This position statement is identified in the attachment as Appendix A: Math Teaching and Learning Proposal (WASA's Rewrite) and is the last page of the document.

Attachment: Achieving Success for All Students in Mathematics and additional position 259k [pdf]