Concerned about the plight of more than 100 seniors who still
need to pass the California High School Exit Exam in order to get a
diploma, the San Benito High School District Board of Trustees
Wednesday discussed offering an alternative certificate of
completion to students who fail to pass the exams.
Hollister – Concerned about the plight of more than 100 seniors who still need to pass the California High School Exit Exam in order to get a diploma, the San Benito High School District Board of Trustees Wednesday discussed offering an alternative certificate of completion to students who fail to pass the exams.
Board members frequently asked the teachers, parents and students in the packed meeting room for input. The board took no action but decided to return to the issue again at an unspecified future date.
This will be the first year high school students will be required to pass the exit exams, which are designed to seventh and eighth grade standards, in order to receive a diploma. Topics included whether students who fail the exit exam should receive an alternative certificate and whether they should be able to participate in the school’s graduation ceremony.
For SBHS parent Ray Rodriguez, the issue was paramount.
“If the end result of four years of high school is not going to change (students’) earning potential, many more will drop out,” Rodriguez said. “And if we give them nothing, they will go out and join the unemployment lines.”
Although Rodriguez, who has watched four of his children graduate, believes students must be able to prove that they are proficient, he doesn’t think they should have to pass the exit exam to do so. He hopes the board will decide to let those students who fail the exam but meet all of the school’s other requirements participate in graduation ceremonies.
“(If they don’t) then they’re telling 110 years worth of graduates that their diploma is worthless,” he said.
SBHS Superintendent Jean Burns Slater presented the board with a policy proposal that would allow students who had not passed the exit exams to receive a certificate of proficiency or high school equivalency instead of a diploma.
The policy would require students to take the exit exams at least two more times after their initial failure.
The policy, which Slater described as “strict” in comparison to the policies of other schools, would also require students to take remedial courses that would specifically address the skill sets needed to pass either the language arts or math exit exam.
If the student still fails to pass the exit exam after taking the remedial class, he or she would be required to demonstrate proficiency through alternative means, such as academic records or research projects.
Slater believes the policy is strict enough to prevent students from using it as an easy alternative to the exit exam and flexible enough to help students who are truly proficient but have been held back by the test.
“For students who are not fluent in the English language and for students in special education classes (the exit exam) can be very difficult,” she said. “This policy reflects my personal view that we have a responsibility to produce proficient students.”
Several board members expressed concern about students who have completed all of their course work and would otherwise be scheduled to graduate if not for failure to pass the exit exams.
Board of Trustees member Bill Tiffany said that he did not think that the exit exam was a good idea and predicated the state Legislature would look at the bill establishing the exit exam again in the future.
Tiffany made it clear that he believes students who complete all of their course work, but fail to pass the exit exam, should not be forced to walk away from high school with nothing.
“I think their achievement should be recognized,” he said during the discussion.
Fellow board member Jan Joseph suggested the board and administrators look meticulously at the language that would be used on any alternative certificate. Board members suggested several possible terms for the certificate, including “proficiency,” “achievement” and “completion.” No decision was made on that issue.
Four of the board members could not be reached for comments on Thursday and a fifth board member, Judy Rider, declined to comment.
Board members still need more information and a final draft of the policy before they can make a decision, Superintendent Slater said.
Regardless of how it proceeds, the board’s final decision will affect many of the school’s students.
Senior Joshua Basquez, who attended Wednesday’s meeting with several fellow students, hopes the board will carefully consider the wording of any alternative certificate they may decide to offer students who fail to pass the exit exams and receive a diploma.
“They should change the name to (certificate of) ‘achievement,'” he said. “Because otherwise it would cheapen the whole thing.”
Several other students at the meeting agreed. Many students, like junior Vanessa Buelna, believe those students should be allowed to participate in the school’s graduation ceremony.
“I think they should be able to participate because it’s something they’ve been looking forward to since their freshman year,” Buelna said.
County Superintendent of Schools Tim Foley agreed. Foley understands the consequences of the board’s decision, which will affect many students.
“Every district in the state is facing this same problem,” Foley said. “I think that (the proposed policy) is one of the options that people are looking at very closely. And, at first blush, I don’t see any alternatives that look much better.”
Brett Rowland covers education for the Free Lance. He can be reached at 831-637-5566 ext. 330 or
br******@fr***********.com
