The Certificate of Academic Achievement tells families, schools, businesses and colleges that an individual student has mastered a minimum set of reading, writing and math skills by graduation.
Students earn the Certificate of Academic Achievement by meeting state reading, writing and math learning standards on the Washington Assessment of Student Learning (WASL) or on one of the Certificate of Academic Achievement options (state-approved alternatives to the WASL).
High School WASL: Most students take the WASL for the first time as 10th-graders, though ninth-graders who believe they can pass the WASL also may choose to test. Students have five free chances to pass the WASL while in high school. Testing windows are in March/April and August. Additional retake opportunities will be available in high school completion programs in community colleges.
Certificate of Academic Achievement Options: Most students will earn a high school diploma with a Certificate of Academic Achievement by passing the WASL in reading, writing and math. But some equally skilled students will need a different way to show what they know. The state has created several options students may access after they take the WASL at least once and meet any requirements spelled out in their Student Learning Plan.
All of the Certificate of Academic Achievement options are designed and required to be at least as rigorous as the WASL. The Certificate of Academic Achievement options should not be viewed as an alternative for students who have not yet acquired the reading, writing, or mathematics knowledge and skills that are required by the state.
The Certificate of Academic Achievement Options:
- Submitting a “collection of evidence” consisting of student work showing they meet grade-level academic standards.
- Earning scores at or above a state-designated level on the PSAT, SAT, ACT and Advanced Placement exams.
- Comparing a student’s grades in specified math or English/language arts classes with the grades for students who passed the test. (This option is only available to students in 12th-grade with an overall cumulative grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.2 on a 4.0 grading scale.)