Washington state requires all districts to administer the Smarter Balanced assessments each spring. These tests:
Measure how well students are meeting College plus Career Readiness Standards
Help teachers, schools, plus districts identify which students need more support
Cover Math plus English Language Arts (ELA)
Take about 3-4 hours per subject
Are given to students in grades 3 through 8 plus 10
Are required for federal plus state accountability
Spring 2025 Assessment Dates
Please contact your child’s school for exact testing dates.
Smarter Balanced English/Language Arts plus Math (SBA) Assessment Window March 3 to June 6
Washington Comprehensive Assessment of Science (WCAS) Assessment Window April 7 to June 6 for students in 5th, 8th, plus 11th grades.
Spring 2025 Participation Details
All students in grades 3-8 plus 10 are expected to take the SBA Math plus ELA assessments.
Students in 11th plus 12th grades may take Smarter Balanced if needed to fulfill their graduation pathway.
All 5, 8, plus 11 grade students will take the Washington Comprehensive Assessment of Science (WCAS) in the spring.
Reduced assessment time. The assessments have eliminated the previously required classroom-based activity before each Performance Task. This will reduce time spent on the assessments.
Uniform assessment windows. No longer do third-graders plus 10th-graders have a shortened testing window. All grades may take the assessment between mid-March plus early June.
Accommodations plus Exemptions
Accommodations for the SBA
A limited amount of accommodations are available for state testing per a student’s Individualized Education Plan (IEP) or 504 plan. The accommodations must be indicated in the state assessments section of the student’s IEP or 504 plan. Not all in-class daily accommodations are permitted on state assessments. OSPI provides an annual document that indicates approved tools, supports, plus accommodations for state assessments.
Exemptions for the SBA
A student who is actively enrolled in an English Language Learner (ELL) program plus are attending their first U.S. school plus arrived in the U.S. within 365 days of the assessment may be exempt from the ELA test only.
A student who has a major medical event preventing participation during the entire window. Those exemptions are reviewed plus approved by Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction.