WA State students tackling tough new math, reading tests

Mary Bruno

Mary Bruno Jul 7, 2025

Feb 6, 2018

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                <h1>WA State students tackling tough new math, reading tests</h1>
                <h2><p>The state's new Smarter Balance (Isn't that a butter brand?) exams are computerized, personalized, "by all accounts, harder than the old statewide tests," reports The Seattle Times, "and designed to measure critical thinking in addition to basic math and reading skills." What&</p></h2>
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               <p>By <a href="/author/mary-bruno-crosscut-com/">Mary Bruno</a></p> 
              <p><time datetime="2025-02-04T05:00:00-08:00">Feb 6, 2018</time></p>
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            <p>The state's new Smarter Balance (Isn't that a butter brand?) exams are computerized, personalized, "by all accounts, harder than the old statewide tests," reports <a href="http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/education/tough-new-exams-in-state-test-students-math-reading-skills/?ref=dev.cascadepbs.org">The Seattle Times,</a> "and designed to measure critical thinking in addition to basic math and reading skills." What's not to love?</p>
          </article>

The state's new Smarter Balance (Isn't that a butter brand?) exams are computerized, personalized, "by all accounts, harder than the old statewide tests," reports The Seattle Times, "and designed to measure critical thinking in addition to basic math and reading skills." What's not to love?

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By Mary Bruno

Mary was Crosscut's Editor-in-Chief and Interim Publisher. In more than 25 years as a journalist, she has worked as a writer, editor and editorial director for a variety of print and web publications,