Schwarzenegger wants to close a loophole

[George Sheridan <learn@jps.net>]

The current governor of California wants to ensure that no students can 
evade the exit exam by passing courses in community colleges.

Governor seeks new challenge for exit exams
Schwarzenegger wants to close a loophole that allows junior colleges to 
issue diplomas to students who didn't pass the test
By Andrew Becker and Peter Hegarty
STAFF WRITERS
Contra Costa Times March 7, 2006
http://www.contracostatimes.com/mld/cctimes/living/education/14036965.htm


While most Alameda high school students have passed the required exit exam, 
those who haven't may soon find it even more difficult to get their diplomas.

That's because Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger wants to close a loophole that 
would allow students to receive a high school diploma later from a 
community college.

The California High School Exit Exam aims to show whether students 
finishing high school understand math at about the middle school level and 
know English language arts at about the 10th-grade level.

Students get five opportunities to take the exam, starting in March of 
their sophomore year. If they pass, they do not take it again.

This year's seniors are the first facing the requirement.

As of the start of last month, about 10 percent of Alameda seniors had not 
passed the English portion, while 11 percent had not passed the math. A 
student must pass both portions to graduate.

District trustees voted in November to offer students who have not passed, 
but who have fulfilled every other graduation requirement, a "certificate 
of achievement."

Other districts are offering similar certificates.

According to the state Department of Finance, the governor's office 
inserted draft language into a proposed budget trailer bill to make sure 
students have the incentive to pass the test.

If passed, the law would preclude community colleges from issuing diplomas 
to students who have not passed the exam, said Department of Finance 
spokesman H.D. Palmer. The trailer bill consists of technical language that 
accompanies the budget to help implement it.

"If we expect the exit exam to mean something, as the governor clearly 
does, we need to make sure standards are consistent across the board," 
Palmer said. "The clear intent for the high school exit exam is to have a 
rigorous exam that can demonstrate that a student who has passed it has 
very good academic proficiency."

The governor's attempt to close the loophole is just one of the efforts 
coming out of Sacramento addressing fallout from the exit exam.

It also portends further political wrangling that could come with the exam 
that about 100,000 seniors still have not passed.

State schools chief Jack O'Connell said he believes students who fail the 
exit exam should be able to obtain their high school diplomas at community 
college. But he also said the state needs to re-examine and make consistent 
the diploma standards at the post-secondary level.

"Whether a student gets a diploma through K-12 or community college isn't 
as critical as acquiring the knowledge and skills necessary to compete in 
the 21st-century global economy," said Hilary McLean, a spokeswoman for 
O'Connell. "If a student has not been successful in passing the high school 
exit exam, then that student's education is not complete."

The loophole that Schwarzenegger is trying to close could result in greater 
enrollment pressure and financial burdens on community colleges, according 
to the Department of Finance. It could also spur high school students to 
drop out and attend community college as a way around the exit exam 
requirement.

Currently, about 8 percent of this year's senior class in Alameda have 
failed both the math and English language portions of the exam.

As educators feared, the exam is posing a challenge to those in special 
education, who must take the same tests as other students and who are also 
required to pass.

As of last month, 45 percent of Alameda students in special education had 
not passed the math portion. Thirty-two percent had not passed the English 
language portion.

Of this year's about 1,600 12th-graders district-wide, 81 attend special 
education classes.

The students who have not passed are being offered tutorials and one-on-one 
instruction.

The exam will be administered again in May.

George Sheridan