More than half the public school students in the US must pass an exit exam to graduate, and despite controversies, it appears the exit exams are here to stay. A study by the Center on Education Policy concludes that the exams have led to more rigorous courses, and have helped identify struggling students - but there are downsides as well:
Diploma-driven tests have been used for years, but the 2002-03 school year was the one in which many students and parents learned why the tests are often called "high stakes." Several states withheld thousands of diplomas, or prepared to do so. In some states, tests got tougher. At times, it got messy.
New York erased the results of a new math test for juniors and seniors after the passing rate fell much lower than the previous year. Local officials got permission to give diplomas to seniors who failed the exam but passed their math courses.
California delayed the consequences of its exit exam from 2004 to 2006 after a study projected that about 20 percent of seniors would be denied diplomas. In Massachusetts, where diplomas were withheld for the first time, some students walked out of class and refused to take the test, often with support from parents, the study says...
In many states, 65 percent to 85 percent of students pass on their first try. But in states that provided a breakdown of data, scores were significantly lower among blacks, Hispanics, poor students, children with disabilities and those with limited English ability...
Those with limited English ability should, of course, not be passing at the same rate, not if these tests are supposed to measure mastery of English. Hence, it shouldn't be lumped in here with minority students, but it usually is. Also, the study is correct is stating that the schools can't just focus on test development, but must also focus on teacher training and helping at-risk kids before they flunk the exams. Those sorts of efforts will help reduce score gaps between groups.
Implicit, of course, in the list of requirements for making exit exams effective is that schools must be prepared to hold all students to one meaningful standard, to flunk students who don't meet that standard, to not allow grade inflation to take precedence over test results, and to stand fast against protestors who don't like an objective standard with politically-incorrect results. If schools continue to create massive loopholes, stay silent in the face of organized protest, and back down because certain groups don't perform as well, they'll make the exit exams next to useless, while still inflaming test opponents.
If schools are going to do this, they need to stick to their guns and do it right.
Posted by kswygert at August 14, 2003 11:25 AM