Highline Public Schools' Washington Assessment of Student Learning (WASL) results for 2007-08 generally mirror those across the state; scores are on an upward trend overall since testing began in 1997, but students are not making progress as quickly as they need to, according to district administrators.

Though many schools improved, most did not make "adequate yearly progress" (AYP) as defined by the federal No Child Left Behind (act-even schools in which students gained more than one grade level in a year's time.

For a school to make AYP, a certain percentage of students in nine subgroups in each grade (plus other categories, for a total of 37 categories) must pass the WASL. The subgroups include special education students and those who are not proficient in English.

If one subgroup fails to meet the target, the school does not make AYP. School districts must meet standard in all of 111 categories measured to make AYP.

More Highline schools had WASL passage rates in the 80-100% range than in previous tests and more 10th graders passed the reading and writing exams.

Highline's small high schools made notable gains, officials noted.

Three-Global Connections, Big Picture, and Aviation High School-made AYP.

Six of the eight small schools saw significant jumps in reading scores; seven made gains in writing. Those gains don't include Aviation High, which scored 97% or higher in reading and writing for the past two years.

Two small high schools had significant jumps in math scores.

Highline Superintendent John Welch says he is proud of the progress schools have made but is far from satisfied with this year's results.

"We need to take some bold next steps," he said. "There are many factors in our students' lives we don't control. But we need to look deeper to see what we can change that will help students be successful. "

Welch said principals and teachers are learning to more closely track student progress and use that information to guide teaching strategies.

The district's "Math Matters" plan takes a multi-faceted approach to improving math learning, including teacher training, curriculum, research, parent involvement, and partnerships with community organizations, businesses such as Microsoft, and the University of Washington.

Welch expressed frustration that achievement for students of color continues to lag behind that of white students.

He is calling on the community to help find solutions.

"It's going to take a lot of us working together to figure this out," he added.

WASL scores are only one measure the district uses to evaluate school and student performance.

"The WASL is important, but it's a snapshot," noted Highline's Chief Accountability Officer Alan Spicciati. "When we talk about scores being up or down, we are comparing last year's students in a particular grade to this year's students. Comparing the scores of the same group of students over time is a better way to measure our progress."

The high rate of turnover among students also impacts Highline's WASL scores, said Spicciati. "Students who have been with us a number of years do better on the test."

Welch said more information on Highline WASL results will be presented at the district's board meeting on Sept. 10 at 6:30 p.m. in district headquarters, 15675 Ambaum Blvd. S.W.