Declining Writing Scores in Colorado Cause Concern

Publication: The Denver Post
Date: August 11, 2010

Summary: NWP Executive Director Sharon J. Washington comments on the need for more writing instruction in schools, not only as it relates to academic assessments, but also for gaining job skills and raising student achievement.

Excerpt from Article

Sharon Washington, executive director of the National Writing Project in Berkeley, Calif., is worried that states will begin to phase out writing as they change their assessments.

"If you want it to be shorter and results returned sooner, we're going to see less and less of essay writing and paragraph writing," she said. "People are being asked to write more than they ever have. Most jobs require writing. And we certainly know student achievement increases when folks have better writing skills."

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Read CSAPs are in: Colorado students' scores stay flat again in the Denver Post.