Assessments Given
The West Allis-West Milwaukee School District administers state-required and district assessments throughout the school year. These assessments provide information about student learning, academic growth, instructional needs, and progress toward state academic standards.
Wisconsin Student Assessment System (WSAS)
The Wisconsin Student Assessment System (WSAS) is Wisconsin's statewide assessment program. State assessments provide information about what students know and are able to do and are used as one measure of student, school, and district performance.
Wisconsin Forward Exam
The Wisconsin Forward Exam is administered to students in grades 3–8 in English Language Arts and Mathematics, grades 4 and 8 in Science, and grades 4, 8, and 10 in Social Studies. The assessment measures student performance in relation to the Wisconsin Academic Standards.
For the 2026–27 school year, the WAWM testing window is March 15–April 23, 2027.
Dynamic Learning Maps (DLM)
Dynamic Learning Maps (DLM) is Wisconsin's alternate assessment for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities. DLM assesses English Language Arts and Mathematics in grades 3–11, Science in grades 4 and 8–11, and Social Studies in grades 4, 8, and 10.
For the 2026–27 school year, the WAWM testing window is March 15–April 23, 2027.
PreACT Secure
ACCESS for ELLs
PreACT Secure is Wisconsin's statewide summative assessment for students in grades 9 and 10. It measures what students have learned in English, Reading, Mathematics, and Science.
WAWM schools administer PreACT Secure during designated testing dates in March. Specific school testing dates are available in the WAWM District Testing At-a-Glance.
ACT with Writing
All Wisconsin students in grade 11 participate in the ACT with Writing. The assessment measures students' academic readiness for college and includes English, Mathematics, Reading, Science, and Writing.
WAWM schools administer the ACT during designated testing dates in March. Specific school testing dates are available in the WAWM District Testing At-a-Glance.
aimswebPlus Early Literacy Screener
aimswebPlus is Wisconsin's state-required early literacy screener for students in 4K through grade 3. The assessment evaluates early literacy skills, including phonemic awareness and letter-sound knowledge, to help educators identify student needs and provide appropriate instruction and intervention.
In WAWM, students in grades K–3 participate in Fall, Winter, and Spring screening. Students in 4K participate in Fall and Spring screening.
For 2026–27, WAWM's screening windows are:
- Fall: September 8–18, 2026
- Winter: January 4–22, 2027
- Spring: April 12–23, 2027
Students in 4K participate only during the Fall and Spring windows.
ACCESS for ELLs
ACCESS for ELLs is administered annually to students in grades K–12 who are identified as multilingual learners. The assessment measures students' English language proficiency and their progress in developing the academic English language skills needed for success in school.
For the 2026–27 school year, WAWM's ACCESS testing window is December 1, 2026–January 29, 2027.
National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP)
The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), also known as The Nation's Report Card, is a national assessment administered to a representative sample of students and schools. Schools are selected for participation rather than all students participating annually. NAEP provides state and national results and does not provide individual student results to families or districts.
District Assessments
In addition to state-required assessments, WAWM administers district assessments to monitor student learning, identify instructional needs, and measure growth throughout the school year.
4K On My Way Universal Screener
Students in 4K participate in the On My Way Universal Screener to assess skills as they enter school and monitor growth during the year.
For 2026–27, WAWM's screening windows are:
- Fall: September 8–18, 2026
- Winter: January 4–15, 2027
- Spring: April 12–23, 2027
FastBridge
FastBridge is WAWM's universal academic screening and diagnostic assessment system. It measures broad reading and mathematics abilities, helps predict overall academic achievement, and provides additional diagnostic information when needed.
Students in grades K–11 participate in FastBridge screening three times each year.
For 2026–27, WAWM's FastBridge windows are:
- Fall: September 8–25, 2026
- Winter: January 4–22, 2027
- Spring: April 26–May 14, 2027
mySAEBRS
mySAEBRS is a brief student self-rating screener that provides information about students' social, academic, and emotional behavior. The screener helps schools identify students who may benefit from additional social-emotional or behavioral support and provides another source of information for school teams when planning supports.
In WAWM, students in grades 2–11 complete mySAEBRS three times each year.
For 2026–27, WAWM's mySAEBRS windows are:
- Fall: September 14–October 2, 2026
- Winter: January 4–22, 2027
- Spring: April 26–May 14, 2027
Onto College Practice ACT
Students in grades 9–11 participate in Onto College Practice ACT assessments to provide information about student performance and prepare students for the ACT and PreACT Secure. WAWM administers these assessments during the Fall and Winter.
WAWM Assessment Schedule
For a complete list of district and state assessments, participating grade levels, and current testing windows, families can view the 2026–27 WAWM District Testing At-a-Glance.
State Assessment Participation
When a parent or guardian requests that a student be excused from participating in state testing, the request must be honored at grades 4, 8, and 9–11, pursuant to Wis. Stat. § 118.30(2)(b)3. Requests may be submitted at any time during the testing window. A parent or guardian must submit a written request for student opt-out to the building principal.
School District of West Allis-West Milwaukee Policy 2623: Student Assessment also addresses state assessment participation requirements.
For additional information about Wisconsin's state assessment requirements: