Some fear it more than the black plague. Others don’t know what
to expect. These emotions will culminate at high schools across the
county next week when students take the California High School Exit
Exam as a requirement to graduate.
Some fear it more than the black plague. Others don’t know what to expect.
These emotions will culminate at high schools across the county next week when students take the California High School Exit Exam as a requirement to graduate.
During three days – Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday – juniors will continue to try to pass the graduation requirement while sophomores will take the test for the first time.
“There’s no doubt we’re concerned,” said Michael Robustelli, head of curriculum at San Benito High School. “We feel comfortable that most kids are going to make it. If they work hard, all kids have the opportunity to pass the test.”
Currently, about 64 percent of SBHS juniors have passed both the math and English/language arts sections of the exam, and about 52 percent of Anzar High School juniors have passed both sections. After the March dates, the class of 2004 – juniors – will have up to four more chances to pass the test.
Students, beginning with the class of 2004, must pass the CAHSEE as well as complete their high school’s requirements to graduate.
SBHS junior Lizzy Stewart passed the English/language arts portion when she was a freshman and has been trying to pass math since then.
“I’m afraid of it (the CAHSEE),” she said. “It’s something you need to graduate with. I want to graduate and go to college, so I’m afraid of it.”
Some sophomores who haven’t taken the test are either confident or don’t know anything about the test.
“I feel pretty confident,” said SBHS sophomore Jessica Temperino. “I’m ready for it. Some of my friends are freaked out about it.”
SBHS Vice Principal Duane Morgan said some students are just starting to get concerned.
“If they haven’t passed, there’s anxiety,” he said. “It’s one more hurdle to jump through. They’ll start getting anxious right now.”
Widespread panic
Although he hasn’t noticed fear of the CAHSEE among students, SBHS Math Division Chair Dennis DeWall said there is good reason for students to be concerned.
“I think they (the students) think social promotion will still take place,” DeWall said. “They don’t think it will stop now. They really look at it as something that’s theirs.”
The goal of the CAHSEE is to ensure that students who graduate from public high schools can demonstrate grade-level competency in the state content standards for reading, writing and mathematics. The content standards in English/language arts are from the ninth and 10th grade. The content standards in mathematics are from the sixth and seventh grade (such as number sense; statistics, data analysis, and probability; and mathematical reasoning) and from algebra 1, according to the California Department of Education.
“By mastering their seventh-, eighth- and ninth-grade curriculum – that should be enough to pass the exit exam, but that’s where social promotion kills them,” DeWall said. “Before now, if they didn’t pass (certain tests or classes), they’d still move on. It’s made a big joke of our education system.”
English as a Second Language students are concerned they will have a difficulty passing the exam.
“My ESL students are really worried. It’s hardest for them,” said Sophie Chetney, an English teacher and head of the English department. “They get confused over the language of the directions. They don’t understand what they’re being asked to do.”
There’s help out there
While the CAHSEE is aligned to state content standards taught in class, some schools and teachers offer additional help in the form of tutoring. SBHS math teachers will offer study groups next Tuesday and Wednesday. English teachers offer general English tutoring everyday after school. Also, teachers have printed packets of information and released sample test questions to go over with students, Chetney said.
English teachers have focused on vocabulary words to help students on the essay portion of the English/language arts section, she said.
“We have all the information, all the help they could possibly need,” DeWall said.
Anzar High School offers regular tutoring three days a week. Since the test is aligned with curriculum, teachers are not doing any extra preparation or tutorials, Anzar Principal Charlene McKowen said. However, teachers have provided sample questions “the last couple of weeks.”
Sample questions can also be accessed from the California Department of Education at www.cde.ca.gov/statetests/cahsee/resources.html.
Strict administration guidelines
High school administrators all agree the state is strict when it comes to the CAHSEE. There are set dates throughout the school year and set times students must start the test. There are very few waivers, which will effect special education and English as a Second Language students.
Also, Pinkerton, a security company, will randomly visit high schools to make sure schools are administering the test correctly. Teachers proctoring the exam are required to watch a 15-minute video, Morgan said.
“These are tough tests. There’s not a lot of latitude on it,” he said.
Anzar will give the test to about 175 sophomores and juniors. The test lasts two to three hours.
Because there are so many sophomores at SBHS, the school was forced to administer the test in classrooms, shifting most students around for the three days. About 1,020 sophomores and juniors will take the CAHSEE while other students will receive test preparation focusing on the STAR test. During the afternoon, students resume going to classes designated for that day.
Morgan has spent two months trying to schedule students into the correct classrooms.
“We’re still trying to figure it out,” Morgan said.
Today, students will receive a memo telling them where to report Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Students stay in the same room until they break for their regular classes, Morgan said. This is possible by grouping together students who need to pass just math or those who are not taking any section of the test – freshmen, seniors and juniors who have met the requirement. There are 36 classrooms set aside for CAHSEE takers.
Sample questions
The following are sample CAHSEE questions for the math and English language arts sections. They were released in 2002. Answers are at the end.
Math
1. The square root of 150 is between
A. 10 and 11
B. 11 and 12
C. 12 and 13
D. 13 and 14
2. Which of the following is equivalent to 9 – 3x > 4(2x – 1) ?
A. 13 < 11x B. 13 > 11x
C. 10 > 11x
D. 6x > 0
English>/b>
3. For the following question, choose the answer that is the most effective substitute for the underlined part of the sentence. If no substitution is necessary, choose “Leave as is.”
Akia told us about her safari across the plains of East Africa in our geography class.
A. In our geography class, Akia told us about her safari across the plains of East Africa.
B. Akia told us about her safari in our geography class across the plains of East
Africa.
C. In our geography class Akia told about her safari across the plains of East Africa to us.
D. Leave as is
4. For the following question choose the word or phrase that best completes the sentence.
The musician played Wendy’s favorite waltz for her husband and ______.
A. I
B. he
C. she
D. her
Answers: 1. C; 2. B; 3. A; 4. D.
High School Exit Exam
Number and percentage of Anzar and San Benito High school juniors who have passed the California High School Exit Exam:
MathEnglish/Language ArtsBoth Sections
Anzar
Percentage
497152
San Benito
Number
393503381
Percentage
6684.464
Note: Anzar High School would not release student numbers.
