Public school students have completed this year's testing under the 2003-04 Wisconsin Student Assessment System "Wisconsin Knowledge and Concepts Examinations" (WKCE). These examinations were administered at grades 4, 8, and 10 as required by s. 118.30, Wis. Stats. The test results will provide important information about what students know and are able to do in core academic areas. The WKCE results are reported by the proficiency categories of Advanced, Proficient, Basic, Minimal Performance, and Pre-Requisite Skills. These categories were established by determining what all students must know and be able to do at the beginning of grades 4, 8, or 10 in order to be successful at mastering the Model Academic Standards by the end of the school year. Each academic content area is treated as a separate test, and separate proficiency results are reported for reading, language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies. Writing scores based on proficiency categories are not provided; only holistic scores are reported. Students are asked to respond in writing to a variety of prompts, which include the following purposes and modes: expressive writing (narrative or descriptive), informative or expository writing, and persuasive writing. The purpose of the WKCE is to measure whether students meet the pupil academic standards adopted by each local school board. The results of the examinations are used by the Department of Public Instruction as an accountability measure for schools and districts, as required by state and federal laws. Beginning in the school year 2002-2003, under s. 118.33, Wis. Stats., each school board is required to adopt a written policy (The Grade Advancement Policy), specifying the criteria for promoting a student from the fourth to the fifth grade and from the eighth to the ninth grade. The criteria must include the WKCE test score, pupil academic performance, recommendations of teachers based on academic performance, and any other academic criteria identified by the local school board. This promotion policy must include the pupil's WKCE score administered to students enrolled in grades 4 and 8 under s. 118.30, Wis. Stats. The law went into effect September 1, 2002.