Article Published: Tuesday, October 4, 2005

Published 2:15 am PDT Tuesday, October 4, 2005 Story appeared in Editorials section, Page B6 California Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell deserves praise for defending the high school exit exam in the face of criticism from his own party and legislation that would destroy it.
Friday's release of the latest independent evaluation of the exit exam by the Human Resources Research Organization shows that the exam is doing what it should do and that problems with it can be fixed.

So far, California's exit exam does not increase dropout rates. In fact, the report shows the class of 2006 has more students progressing from 10th to 11th to 12th grade than classes before the exit exam requirement.

As with last year's report, the consultant recommends keeping the exit exam requirement in place for the class of 2006 and beyond. This report should give Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger good reason to veto AB 1531, which would allow each school district to create its own "alternative performance assessments," such as portfolios.

So far, 78 percent of students in the class of 2006 have passed both the reading and math sections of the test. They still have three more chances.

Clearly, the state still has a long way to go with some students. For English-learners, 51 percent in the class of 2006 have passed both sections of the test. Only 35 percent of special-education students have passed. A good portion of those will not pass by the end of 12th grade.

So what to do?

A student who arrives in California schools in ninth grade not speaking English may need extra time. The same is true for special-education students who spend more than 80 percent of their time in regular instruction and who can do the work with extra help. With continued assistance, these students have a good chance of passing.

The consultant recommends keeping the exit exam but expanding opportunities for students to meet the requirements. Options could include summer programs or extended high school enrollment. This would not excuse students from the requirement but would give them longer to master reading and math skills.

Unfortunately, the consultant also broaches the idea of allowing students to do a "portfolio" in lieu of passing the exit exam or creating an alternative diploma. These would be big steps backward. An April 28 WestEd study done for the state already studied alternative assessments, including portfolios, in other states and concluded none is equivalent to the exit exam.

California already has a "certificate of completion" for students not on the diploma track. For example, for special education students, it certifies that the student has satisfactorily completed an Individualized Education Program. But it is not a high school diploma.

The state is right, as O'Connell has put it, to stand by a bedrock
principle: Awarding students a diploma when they don't have the knowledge and skills to back it up does a great disservice to those students. The exit exam puts that principle into action. Keep it - and improve it.

Copyright 2005