Eleven schools in seven North Olympic Peninsula school districts will participate in a pilot online state testing program this spring.
Registered for the online “measurements of student progress” testing are Brinnon School District, Crescent School District in Joyce, Stevens Middle School in the Port Angeles School District, Blue Heron Middle School in the Port Townsend School District and Quilcene High School and Elementary School, as well as two schools in the Sequim School District — Sequim Community School and Sequim Middle School — and three programs in the Quillayute Valley School District: the district-run home schooling program, Forks Middle School and the Quileute Tribal School.
They are among the 360 schools in 181 school districts that have registered for the online tests this year.
The tests are offered to students in grades six through eight who can take tests in reading and math on computers.
Most schools statewide opted to test in all three grades for both subject areas, but some are testing only in specific grades or content areas.
The testing window for the paper-and-pencil exams is May 12-28, while those in the online pilot program will have from May 3 to June 4 to complete the tests.
That will allow schools enough time to rotate students in and out of computer labs or classroom computer stations, the state Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction said in a statement.
Each school will determine what days students use within the testing window.
Results for both the paper-and-pencil and online exams will be returned to school districts in mid August.
“This is a major step in our state testing,” said State Superintendent Randy Dorn.
“We’re joining a growing number of states who are moving to online testing.
“Today’s students are exposed to more and more technology and will be required to use computers or other high-tech devices when they enter the workforce. We, as the education system, need to prepare them for that and this is one way to accomplish that mission.”
The state office has given districts information about requirements to participate in online testing, such as computer hardware and software needs, demos and tutorials of the testing system and a school capacity calculator.
Demos, tutorials and other information, including frequently asked questions, can be accessed at www.WAtesting.com/online.
