MATTAWA - Students at Wahluke High School have shown improvement in all areas the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) requires to be tested, based on the 2011-12 school year results.

Sophomore students are measured in the subjects of reading, writing and science (biology). Students studying algebra and geometry are assessed regardless of what year they are in school when they take these classes.

Sophomore reading students at Wahluke passed the High School Proficiency Exams (HSPE) at a 71.2 percent rate. They demonstrated a 10 percent growth when compared to Wahluke students who to took the test during the 2010-11 school year.

Likewise, 75 percent of the school's sophomore writing students passed the writing HSPE. This is compared with a 70 percent rate of passing for the 2010-11 testing window.

"The scores are a reflection of the continued hard work and dedication of the Wahluke High School community," Principal Jeff Pietila said.

All students must pass both the reading and writing test, or an equivalent to be eligible to graduate from any Washington public high school. Students in the math and science classes take End of Course Exams (EOC) rather than HSPE.

Students in the school's algebra classes passed the EOC at a rate of 54 percent, which is a 14 percent increase over the previous year's rate of success. Geometry students demonstrated an 11 percent improvement over the previous year with 61.3 percent of those students passing the EOC.

Last spring was the first year of the Biology EOC. So it is impossible to establish a baseline for students in those classes.

However, Pietila noted, Wahluke students who took the biology EOC demonstrated six percent growth over students who took the old science HSPE in the spring of 2011.

"Although the school is celebrating the growth, all involved know that there is still room for even better rates of success," Pietla said.

To that end, Pietila said groups of teachers are working together in an effort to help all students improve their subject knowledge and communications skills. This effort is also designed to lead to new success goals.

Current sophomores will be required to pass all of these tests as part of their graduation requirements.