This season of the school year is absolutely packed with standardized testing. From required SBA testing for 10th graders to AP exams for advanced students, April and May will surely be busy. 

However, one exam that is often forgotten is the WCAS test for 11th graders. Because WCAS tests are only administered in grades 5, 8, and 11,  many students may feel unfamiliar with the content of the exam. 

According to THS science teacher Melissa Mackey, who has administered this test for several years, the test is mostly based on science skills, rather than specific knowledge of facts. Skills like “reading and interpreting graphs, drawing conclusions, [and] applying logic” are all a critical part of the exam. 

Because of this, students don’t necessarily have any specific material that they need to ‘study’ to prepare for the exam. Furthermore, the science concepts tested by the WCAS comprise “a core piece of every science class at THS”, so Tahoma students can feel confident in their ability to pass the exam.

At Tahoma High School, WCAS exams are administered to juniors during their science classes on April 15th or 16th. Unlike the SBA, there is no dedicated window for testing outside of class time.

Another difference between the WCAS and SBA testing is the way that the exams are scored. According to a FAQ document about the WCAS published by the Washington State OSPI, WCAS tests are not adaptive, and thus take longer to score. While SBA scores will be available in the weeks after testing, WCAS scores “will be available in late August”.

While the WCAS is not required for graduation, it is still important for juniors to take it. Students who do not take the exam are recorded with a score of zero, which brings down the overall average score for THS. As Mackey noted, “It’s important that juniors come to school on WCAS day and take the test”.