State Testing May 20 & 27
Summary: State Testing Coming.
State Testing at Whitman Middle School
We want to share an update to our state testing schedule this year for the Smarter Balanced Assessments (SBA) in Math and English Language Arts, as well as the Washington Comprehensive Assessment of Science (WCAS).
This year, we are implementing a new approach by administering all state testing on Wednesdays only, from 9:15–11:20 a.m.
Our testing schedule is as follows:
- April 29: ELA Performance Task (PT)
- May 6: ELA Computer Adaptive Test (CAT)
- May 13: Math Performance Task (PT)
- May 20: Math Computer Adaptive Test (CAT)
- May 27: Science (Grade 8 only)
We are making this shift with several goals in mind. By concentrating testing on a single day each week, we hope to reduce overall test fatigue for students and create a quieter, more focused testing environment, as all students will be testing at the same time. This schedule also allows students who may be unwell to avoid missing multiple days of testing, and it provides families with greater flexibility to plan appointments around testing days.
We appreciate your partnership in supporting your student during this time. Ensuring students are well-rested, arrive on time, and are ready to do their best will help make this a positive experience for all.
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out.
Wednesday Testing Schedule
| Start Time | End Time | Period | Period |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8:55 a.m. | 9:20 a.m. | 1st Period | 1st Period |
| 9:25 a.m. | 11:20 a.m. | 1st Testing | 1st Testing |
| 11:25 a.m. | 11:55 a.m. | Lunch A (ELA, Math, Social Studies) | 2nd Period |
| 12 p.m. | 12:30 p.m. | 2nd Period | Lunch B (Electives, IEP classes, Science) |
| 12:35 p.m. | 1 p.m. | 3rd Period | 3rd Period |
| 1:05 p.m. | 1:30 p.m. | 4th Period | 4th Period |
| 1:35 p.m. | 2 p.m. | 5th Period | 5th Period |
| 2:05 p.m. | 2:30 p.m. | 6th Period | 6th Period |
State Testing Acronyms
- SBA: Smarter Balanced Assessment
- ELA: English Language Arts
- CAT: Computer Adaptive Test – multiple choice and short answer questions
- PT: Performance Task – A longer written response to a prompt that requires the student to comprehend, evaluation, synthesize and create a final written product.
- WCAS (Grade 8 Only): Washington Comprehensive Assessment of Science
As of May 1, 2026
