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Fewer California students pass high school exit exam

This year's number was the
lowest since passage became mandatory for
students to get a diploma. Officials cite
inclusion of special education students this
year as a reason.

By Seema Mehta

One in 10 high school seniors in the class of
2008 failed to pass California's exit exam by
graduation, the lowest rate of passage since
the test became mandatory to earn a diploma
three years ago, according to data released
Tuesday by the state Department of Education.

The estimated passage rate dipped, state
officials said, because for the first time
special education students were required to
take the exam to receive diplomas, and their
test results were included in the tally. Nearly
half of special education students -- those
with learning, physical or mental disabilities
such as autism or dyslexia -- did not pass the
exam.

State Supt. of Public Instruction Jack
O'Connell defended the mandate.

"Far from holding students back," he said, "the
exit exam requirement ensures all students who
earn diplomas will have the basic skills
essential to their success in the workforce."

Special education students' graduation rate
dipped nearly 3 percentage points for the class
of 2008 because of the requirement. O'Connell
noted that special education students can
continue in the state's public high schools
until they are 22; and even after students are
done with their tra- ditional high school
years, they can continue taking the exam until
they pass.

But for prior classes, statistics show that
most mainstream students who leave school
without passing the exam do not keep taking it,
and if they do, their success is mixed. In the
class of 2006, nearly 39,000 did not pass the
exam in time for graduation, and in the two
years that have since elapsed, fewer than 4,800
have passed.

Excluding special education students, the class
of 2008 showed a small uptick in those who
passed, to 93.6% by last May.

As a state senator, O'Connell wrote the
legislation that created the exit exam, which
was signed into law in 1999.

Beginning in their sophomore year, students
have several chances to take the two-part test.
A score of at least 55% on the math portion,
which is geared to an eighth-grade level, and
60% on the English portion, which is ninth- or
10th-grade level, is required.

For mainstream students, the class of 2006 was
the first that had to pass the exam in order to
get a diploma. Special education students were
exempted the first two years, with the class of
2008 being the first required to pass the exam.

Efforts to narrow the achievement gap between
white and Asian students and their black and
Latino peers also showed little success, a
situation O'Connell called "the civil rights
challenge of our time."

"We know all students can learn . . . no matter
what their economic status or native language,"
he said. "We must continue our efforts to close
the achievement gap."

The skill level required to pass the exams has
prompted criticism in some quarters as not
stringent enough, and O'Connell on Tuesday
confirmed that state officials are discussing
raising the bar, although no changes are
imminent.

Senate Majority Leader Gloria Romero said such
discussions must be put on hold until the state
deals with special education students' needs.
She and Assemblyman Fabian Nuñez (D-Los
Angeles) have written companion bills that
would extend the exit exam exemption for
special education students through 2010 and
develop alternative ways to assess their skills
by 2011.

The bills passed both houses of the Legislature
but have not been sent to Gov. Arnold
Schwarzenegger for his signature because he has
threatened to veto any legislation sent to his
desk before a state budget is approved.

The legislation would make all the difference
to families like the Cavaneys of Los Altos.
Their 19-year-old son, whose name they declined
to give, was diagnosed with a language and
listening learning disability as a young boy.
Although he falters with written tests, he does
well on oral exams, which is how he earned his
driver's license. He went on to finish Los
Altos High School with a 3.8 GPA, according to
his father, Pat Cavaney, but he couldn't pass
the exit exam, even after six tries. He didn't
receive his high school diploma, but he did win
a chancellor's scholarship to Foothill Junior
College, which he is attending.

"I've got a child who, if he goes to even a
Home Depot or wherever to apply, when he's
filling out the application, he can't mark that
he's a high school graduate," said Cavaney, who
is chief operating officer of a law firm that
unsuccessfully sued the state on behalf of
parents and students to block the exit exam.

— Seema Mehta
Los Angeles Times
2008-09-10


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