Indiana reports the results of their high school exit exam:
Nearly one-third of 10th-grade students statewide failed on their first attempt to meet the academic standards required to graduate. Test results released by the Indiana Department of Education on Thursday showed 68 percent of 10th-graders passed the English portion of the Graduation Qualifying Exam and 64 percent passed the math portion. State officials consider this a baseline year for the exam because changes were made to more closely align it with the state academic standards.
You know, one could see this as good news. If the exam is meant to measure academic skills above the 10th-grade level, then we wouldn't expect every 10th-grader to pass it, would we?
Regardless of a student’s background, however, the student must pass the GQE before graduating. If a student fails the test the first time, it can be retaken four more times before graduation..
The most concerned administrators are those who worry five testing attempts won't be enough:
Brad Bakle, EACS elementary curriculum and assessment director, said he is trying to figure out what barriers are troubling Paul Harding High School. Scores on the GQE dipped this year after going up last year. “It’s not good,” Bakle said as he looked at the scores. Only 20 percent of 10th-graders passed the math portion and 35 percent passed English.
The Indiana State Board of Education recently approved new high school graduation requirements. ISTEP+ scores for 9th- and 10th-graders are out as well.
Posted by kswygert at March 11, 2005 09:44 AM