At least 20 percent of members of the class of 2004 in
California will fail the mathematics portion of the state’s new
high school exit exam, a study released recently by the Human
Resources Research Organization shows.
At least 20 percent of members of the class of 2004 in California will fail the mathematics portion of the state’s new high school exit exam, a study released recently by the Human Resources Research Organization shows.
Members of the class of 2004 – who are currently juniors – are the first to be required to pass the exam before receiving their diplomas.
Most of those who are failing the exam are having trouble on the mathematics portion of the test. Statewide, only 5 percent of California juniors have failed to pass the exit exam’s English section.
The law was implemented by the state legislature in 1999. The test requires students to display a 10th-grade level of competence in mathematics and English. The math section of the test covers sixth-grade math through algebra I. Students can take the test three times a year – starting as sophomores – until they earn a passing grade on both sections.
But now that the consequences of the test are becoming apparent – including the fact that up to half of English-language learners and up to two-thirds of special education students will likely flunk it – some education leaders and politicians are chickening out.
Many are advocating postponing those consequences – having students continue to take the exam, but not requiring a passing grade for graduation – in light of the high failure rates. The decision of whether or not to delay the graduation requirement is in the hands of the 10-member state Board of Education.
“It becomes a question of not whether to delay it, but for how long to delay it,” state Board of Education president Reed Hastings told the Los Angeles Times. Hastings is said to favor a three-year delay.
We think delaying the graduation requirement is a serious mistake.
First, the federal government is tying high school exit exam results to federal education money. If the consequence of failure – no diploma – is removed, a key motivation to do well on the test is removed and failure rates will likely increase.
California Gov. Gray Davis was right when he said, “All over California students are studying harder and reaching a higher bar.”
But that’s not the most important reason for requiring a passing grade.
What, exactly, is a high school diploma worth if you can get one without even being able to perform at a 10th-grade level in two subjects?
A diploma should mean more than a student sat behind a high school desk for four years. It should mean the student mastered the subjects he or she studied – and this test doesn’t even require that. It requires that students master half of high school English and math.
State Board of Education members should not delay the graduation requirement of the high school exit exam. Doing so cheapens the accomplishments of students who study hard and master their lessons. But most disturbing, delaying the graduation requirement sends the wrong message to students about the importance of education, the value of hard work and the virtue of responsibility.
California can’t afford to let its students flunk those lessons.
