Classroom-Based Assessments:
Frequently Asked Questions

By the end of the 2008-2009 school year, school districts will be required to have assessments or other strategies to assure that their elementary school, middle school, and high school students have an opportunity to learn the essential academic learning requirements in social studies, the arts, and health and fitness.

Classroom-based assessments are built from the state’s learning standards. State curriculum specialists have created tasks and questions that model good assessments and provide these to local school districts. These assessments are given in the classroom by a teacher.

What models can districts use for classroom-based assessments?
OSPI has developed models for school districts. Links for all three areas can be found here.
• Direct link to CBAs and scorer training packets for social studies
• Direct link to classroom-based performance assessments for the arts
• Direct link to CBAs and scorer training packets for health and fitness

What requirements do schools have to verify their implementation of the CBAs?
Beginning with the 2008-2009 school year, school districts must annually submit an implementation verification report to OSPI.
(RCW 28A.230.095(1))
• A draft version of the reporting form can be found here.

Which laws and policies outline what needs to be done with classroom-based assessments and related issues?
• RCW 28A.230.095 – Essential academic learning requirements and assessments
• OSPI models for CBAs
• RCW 28A.150.210 – Basic Education Act – Goal
• WAC 180-51-061 – Minimum requirements for high school graduation

What are the reasons behind these upcoming requirements?
The state legislature finds that student achievement in Washington must be improved to keep pace with societal changes, changes in the workplace, and an increasingly competitive international economy. (RCW 28A.150.210)

The state legislature also finds that instruction in social studies, arts, health, and fitness is important to ensure a well-rounded and complete education; particularly, instruction in civics has been found to help students learn about their rights as citizens and how to responsibly use those rights. (RCW 28A.230.095)

What special requirements are there for CBAs in social studies?
Beginning with the 2008-2009 school year, school districts must require at least one CBA in civics for students in 4th or 5th, 7th or 8th, and 11th or 12th grades. The civics assessment may be selected from a list approved by OSPI. (RCW 28A.230.095(2))

"Social studies" includes history (U.S., Washington state, or world), geography, civics, economics (RCW 28A.230.095(1)), sociology, political science, international relations, and related courses with an emphasis on current problems (WAC 180-51-061(1d)).