In 1999 the majority of the California legislature had the gall to pass a very controversial law requiring public school students to take and successfully complete an exit exam before receiving a high school diploma.
The exit exam tests students on sophomore-level math and English language arts. Students are given six opportunities to take and pass this exam.
You’d be surprised to know how many legislators think it’s unreasonable that students be required to know basic 10th grade math and English before graduating from the 12th grade.
Not to get partisan all of the sudden, but it’s the far-left democrats who are having a really hard time imposing these requirements. To them, it’s not about academic excellence, it’s about self-esteem.
“We must go to whatever lengths possible to make sure all kids feel good about themselves,” is their creed. “Not giving them a diploma will make them feel bad. This is the worst evil imaginable, you know.”
The latest attempt to “get around” the exit exam made me laugh. Senator Gloria Romero thinks she has a great solution to the exit exam controversy. Under her plan, every student would get a diploma but, if you pass the exit exam, your diploma would have a special insignia on it. That way you can still say you finished high school, if you didn’t pass the exam, and you wouldn’t feel so bad about yourself. But if you can pass a 10th grade test, you get a special insignia, and you can feel even better. Ha!
How many late-night boardroom meetings did it take to come up with that one?
The truth of the matter is, if there is no standard for high school graduation, a diploma has no meaning or significance. Why should a student try to do better if they’re going to get a diploma no matter what?
One last thing, ensuring that every kid gets a diploma, every kid gets a trophy, etc., etc. is only doing a disservice to the next generation. It prepares kids for some utopia dream-world ... certainly not for real life.
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Fortunately, home educated students are exempt from this test, but I still think the test is wrong. It is yet another step towards a national test and I am completely opposed to that. The CHSPE that home schoolers (or anybody wanting to get out of high school early) can take to "graduate" in 10th grade or on/after their 16th birthday is the most ridiculous test you've ever seen. The state should spend the money it takes to see this new test implemented on more effective educational initiatives, like failing kids who are (shock) failing their classes. Make them repeat a grade if they have to, but don't let them get all the way to 12th grade and then get all proactive! Sheesh. Further, if a student has passed every single course w/a C or better and then fails the exit exam, what does that say about the test and/or the ability of the studen to take the test?
I don't really care about the "feelings" of students because as soon as they get out in the real world and try to get a job, they're going to have a wake-up call to just how much they HAVEN'T been educated.
Basically, when it comes right down to it, educators (and everyone else) should do things right the FIRST time and be CONSISTENT instead of dreaming up stupid programs to "fix" or remediate the problem when things go horribly wrong. Late-night boardroom meetings should most definitely be banned. I'd ban showers, too, but that's when I get really good ideas and I do like people (including myself) to be clean.
I don't know the content of the California test, so I can only comment to the test that Indiana sophomore are required to take. After having taken this test myself, and then later being employed tutoring students who had failed the test, I can attest that the material is by no means difficult. It's basic math, reading, and writing skills. It is certainly not rocket science. I agree with you, Amy, that if everyone can graduate from high school, regardless of capabilities, that it doesn't mean much. Yes, there are some students with disabilities that must be accounted for, but the main-stream public school child should be able to pass this test in order to graduate. I can't stand the concept of passing everyone in order to assure no one has hurt feelings.
~Emily
Yeah! Take that California!
Janice, I know where you're coming from - and, trust me, I appreciate that - but I just don't see how the exit exam is a "slippery slope" toward national standardized tests.
Right on!!! I agree.
Make them take the exit exam. If they can't pass the exit exam, then maybe "Do you want fries with that?" is all they'll ever need to know.
However, I still think some republicans are idiots.
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