Culminating Project

Updated September 2009

Common Questions and Embedded Links

1. What is the role of the State Board in the Culminating Project?
2. What is the Culminating Project?
3. Culminating Project Guide

1. What is the role of the State Board of Education (SBE) in the culminating project?

   The SBE established the culminating project as a graduation requirement in 2000, effective for students in the graduating class of 2008.

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2. What is the Culminating Project?

Basic content knowledge is tested through the Washington Assessment of Student Learning (WASL), Classroom Based Assessments (CBA), and various alternative assessments.  However, there is no state-level test that assures the student knows how to apply what they have learned to do with that content. This experiential, hands-on project gives students a formal opportunity to demonstrate in a variety of ways their learning competencies related to Washington’s learning goals three and four: 

Goal 3:  Think analytically, logically and creatively, and integrate experience and knowledge to form reasoned judgments and solve problems.

Goal 4:  Understand the importance of work and how performance, effort and decisions directly affect future career and educational opportunities.

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3. Culminating Project Guide

   Each student shall complete a Culminating Project, and they will have the flexibility to construct his/her own Culminating Project. As part of the Culminating Project, each student will demonstrate essential skills through reading, writing, speaking, production, and/or performance (Essential Academic Learning Requirements). There are many ways a student may demonstrate their skills of analysis, logic and creativity; and, to integrate experience and knowledge to form reasoned judgments and solve problems.  The intent is that the student be able to guide their own process in completing the Culminating Project.

   School districts should clearly identify Culminating Project student outcomes and develop and publish assessment criteria to support those outcomes. Each district should have a clearly identified Culminating Project management system designed to support the students and staff. Districts should also have policies in place to handle special circumstances, such as district transfers, parental challenges to the project, etc.

   Districts may opt to include the community in project planning, support, or feedback.

   There is no state-level prohibition against doing joint projects of two or more students.

School districts shall ensure the safety of each student by complying with legal and risk management guidelines

For more information on Culminating/Senior Projects, contact us at: sbe@k12.wa.us

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Washington State
Board of Education
PO Box 47206
600 Washington St. SE
Olympia, WA 98504-7206
360-725-6025