School Info: Test Scores


CTBS

The CTBS (California Test of Basic Skills) is a standardized test that ranks the students’ test scores on a national level with other students of that particular grade level. The average national rank is 50%, which means that any score above 75% is considered above average and any score below 25% is considered below average. Each student who took the test will receive a home report that breaks down each category and gives a strengths and needs to strengthen section on the back of the report. The CTBS is a timed test where students have a certain amount of time to answer a question by filling in a circle to represent their answer, when the time is up they need to be finished with that certain section. The test is computer graded. There are no essay type/writing questions on this standardized test. The CTBS scores are one indicator on where each individual child is based on a national level.

WASL

The WASL (Washington Assessment of Student Learning) is given yearly to students in Washington State public schools. Private schools have the option of having their students take the WASL test. The Archdiocese of Seattle leaves the decision up to each individual school. In the public schools the WASL is paid through state funding; for private schools the individual school pays for the test. The WASL is a non-timed test where students use a variety of learning approaches to answer the questions. Essay writing is a major part of the test. Special provisions for the WASL can be made for students who have learning difficulties/disabilities. Individuals grade the WASL; it is not graded by computer. To pass the WASL a student has to achieve a certain score level, for example in math a student has to score a 400 to meet the standard. If a student scores a 399 he has not met the standard. The percentage score is based on the number of students who took the test and met the state standard.