West Seattle students could see some major changes in the Washington's standardized student assessment testing with the recent election of Randy Dorn as the state's superintendent of public instruction.

Dorn, a former state lawmaker, teacher and principal emphasized a desire to replace the Washington Assessment of Student Learning for an alternative standardized test during his campaign.

"Schools should be about hope, opportunity and opening doors for all students," said Dorn. "In the past four years it's been all about fear and closing doors on students."

Since he was elected, Dorn has not changed his stance on the issue. The new superintendent says that the test takes too many man-hours and too much money to score. Sections of the exam require short, handwritten answers which must be graded individually. Dorn would like to, instead, use an exam that is purely multiple choice. He argues that this would allow current technology to score the exams quickly, and deliver them efficiently to parents and students.

Dorn has also recommended that the tests be shorter. Currently, students take the Washington Assessment of Student Learning over a two week period during the school year.

"I believe we've narrowed our focus too much to be all about the test," Dorn said. "When you shorten the test there's going to be more focus on learning."

While students at Chief Sealth High School have been relatively successful with the test, principal John Boyd agrees that teachers are taking too much classroom time to give the test.

"Simplifying (the test) and spending less time doing the actual testing will give more time for actual instructing, more teaching time," Boyd said.

Dorn also emphasized that the test be diagnostic, and used as a tool to help students learn better.

The implications of the test would not change, however. Students taking the test in the 10th grade would still need to pass to graduate high school. According to federal law, all states must have a standardized test in public schools.

"There must be a standard," said Dorn. "We've got to have students who can read, write and do math in order to move on and further learn."

Pathfinder K-8 School, an alternative education program, has many parents who have chosen not to have their children take the test. As a result, their child's non-participation counts as a zero and lowers the school-wide performance. Pathfinder has struggled particularly in its math scores.

"The (Washington Assessment of Student Learning) uses one segment out of a year in school as the measure for student success," said David Dockendorf, principal at Pathfinder. "I want to look at the whole child and how the student does over the course of a year."

Rose Egge may be reached at 932.0300 or rosee@robinsonnews.com