Another test strikes fear in the heart of teachers, students and
parents throughout California: the California High School Exit
Examination (CAHSEE).
Another test strikes fear in the heart of teachers, students and parents throughout California: the California High School Exit Examination (CAHSEE).
The purpose of the CAHSEE is to ensure that students who graduate from high school are able to demonstrate grade-level competency in the state content standards for reading, writing and mathematics.
Beginning with the class of 2003-2004, students are required to pass the exit exam in order to receive their high school diplomas. California students take the examination during the spring of tenth grade and are able to take it seven more times if they do not earn a passing score on their first attempt. I managed to escape the test by one lucky school year but did have to pass a basic skills test at the beginning of ninth grade.
For more than twenty years, the required testing material has been based on eighth grade standards. Now there is a high school exit exam, which is based on tenth grade standards.
The exit exam was established in order to improve student performance in high school and, to help establish that students who graduate from high school can demonstrate competency in state academic content standards. Education Code Section 60857 requires a study to examine whether the test development process and the implementation of standards-based instruction in the classroom will enable students to meet the required standards for an extremely high-stakes test.
The final report of this study will be issued on May 1.
I feel that the high school exit exam is a reasonable requirement. If we are graduating after finishing the twelfth grade, the prerequisite that we have competency in reading, writing and mathematics (based on tenth grade standards) is not unreasonable. If we are to receive diplomas that reflect successful completion of the twelfth grade, it makes sense that we should be tested on competency for twelfth grade standards, so I think the exam content could be a lot worse.
It only makes sense that all students should possess adequate reading and comprehension skills, along with basic algebraic and mathematical functions before they are allowed to graduate from high school. Why attend high school if you’re going to leave without attaining useful and necessary skills?
One thing to take into consideration is, does the test accurately determine a students knowledge? Many educators and parents believe that the test may be an unfair method of evaluation: many competent students do not test well. This past year, the test was given to freshmen as a practice exam, with varying results. Generally, it was obvious that there is a lot of work to be done.
Students who do not pass the exam at first must retake it until they pass or risk not receiving their diplomas. On the positive side, it may pinpoint individual needs of students and enable teachers to better meet their needs.
The exit exam places more responsibility on the students and teachers to work harder and gain necessary skills and knowledge in school, which is great. It provides tremendous incentive to achieve.
But this test was just developed, and I believe that it’s not fair that students are being penalized when, throughout their school years, they might not have been getting the adequate instruction from their teachers. We’ve all had teachers who feel handing out worksheets and showing documentaries is enough “instruction”, but not all students can learn that way.
Many students require direct, systematic instruction. So when they sit for the exit exam, they may not pass because they weren’t taught the material in the first place. If they don’t pass the exam, they risk not graduating, but what do the teachers risk?
They may be required to modify their instruction methods, but that will not lessen the negative impact upon the student who did not pass. And will teachers be forced to change methods in cases where their instruction was not inadequate, but students and parents have not made or supported academic efforts?
There’s another thing that greatly concerns me about the CAHSEE. Federal government regulations state that disabled students can take the High School Exit Exam with special “accommodations”. But technically, according to state law, by using special accommodations, these students will not have passed the test. How fair is that? I think the real issue should not be whether or not they receive special accommodations, but whether they should be forced to take the test in the first place.
Disabled students are those with Individual Education Plans, personal profiles specific to the needs of each individual student. The special accommodations they would receive would be extended time and calculators. These accommodations would be granted after applying for a waiver. Physically disabled students are already allowed to take the test using sensory accommodations such as hearing aids and Braille without the need to apply for a waiver.
Members of the federal government actually believe that the accommodations help to equalize testing situations for the disabled students. However, the state government asserts that accommodations “fundamentally alter what the test measures”, according to the policy draft, therefore rendering disabled students’ tests invalid.
If these students need external testing aids to take the exit exam, that shows they are not equal in ability when compared to mainstream students, so why should they be required to take the same exit exam? Apparently, the state and federal governments are trying to reach an agreement on the issue.
If disabled students do take the test with special modifications, they receive only “the equivalent of a passing score” from the state Board of Education. Although they would receive a diploma, the issue remains of whether or not they will be given the same diploma as other students, or just a letter of completion stating they finished all their required credits. This doesn’t make sense to me. We’re making disabled students take the test and either they take it without special modifications and fail, or they take it with accommodations and pass but technically, they don’t pass. It sounds to me like a no win situation.
Disabled students often learn completely different material in high school, why should they have to take the same test as other students in order to graduate? If these students are required to take the exam, it should be designed around their specific curriculum. That way, they have the opportunity to pass and might not need the special accommodations that they would if they took the regular high school exit exam.
The California High School Exit Exam measures skills that are necessary to lead a successful and productive life. It tests material that should be mastered before leaving high school. But we need to be sure that students are given ample exposure to the required materials.
Parents and members of the community should be committed to helping students to attain the skills needed. The government should develop another exit exam that is structured around the curriculum that is offered to disabled students. It’s only fair. They sit in their classrooms, working at least as hard and long as the rest of us, so they should be given a real chance to receive their diploma. They’ve earned it. The diploma received on graduation day is a well-earned reward after many years of study. We must do all that is necessary to guarantee that no students is unfairly denied graduation from high school.
