Representative Jim McCune
Photo from Representative McCune’s official website

Rep. Jim McCune’s Newsletter for the 2007 Legislative session says,

WASL is flawed graduation requirement
Every year, there seems to be a new set of hot issues ones that are particularly important to people at the time. One issue, however, is consistently at the top of peoples minds the Washington
Assessment of Student Learning (WASL).
Unfortunately for most of us, particularly our 10th graders, the WASL brings many unpleasant thoughts to mind. Whether or not a student will be able to continue to college hangs on the outcome of this test alone. It doesnt matter how well you have done academically in the past. Your future hangs on your ability to pass the WASL, not on your academic achievement.
That is why the Legislature is moving in the direction of requiring students to take, and pass, courses in algebra, geometry
and biology as part of their high school graduation requirements.
House Bill 2327 is a somewhat watered down version of a tougher bill that I co-sponsored (HB 1288).
We all want high standards in our education system, but the WASLs standards are too far from the norm to be acceptable.
They are too subjective. Lets get back to real standardized achievement testing, and put the bar in its right place again. Graduation should be attainable to everyone, and students should be tested on what they are actually learning in school not their ability to use unconventional methods and logic.
I will continue to work for local control and high standards, so all children can graduate from high school equipped with the best tools for success in life.

From the NVN Oct. 5th edition,
“THE WASL TEST FUNDAMENTALLY MESSED
One of my top priorities as a legislator is ensuring that our children get the best possible education. This means having meaningful standards and expectations, true accountability, and decisions made at the level closest to our children…”