A Good Idea

[Annie]

http://www.sacbee.com/content/politics/story/14046764p-14878183c.html

No alternative to failed exit exam
But O'Connell spells out some non-diploma options for students.
By Laurel Rosenhall -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PST Saturday, January 7, 2006
Story appeared on Page A3 of The Bee

Seniors who do not pass the California High School Exit Exam this year should be allowed to continue their education, but diplomas will be awarded only to students who pass the test, Jack O'Connell, state superintendent of public instruction, announced at a Sacramento news conference Friday morning.

Within hours, lawyers who oppose the exam said they will sue the state in the coming weeks to try to lift the exit exam as a requirement for this year's graduating class.

O'Connell's announcement followed a three-month review of possible alternatives to the controversial math and English exam that was adopted in 1999 and is a graduation requirement for the classes of 2006 and beyond.

Sell It Yourself
To the disappointment of scholars and advocates who have urged the state to develop another path to graduation for students who fail the test, O'Connell said he believes no alternative exists that would show students have learned material tested on the exam.

"I'm convinced the only way to make sure all our graduates have the critical skills is through passage of the high school exit exam," O'Connell said.

But he drew a distinction between alternatives to the test and options for students who fail. He laid out ways students who don't pass the exam can continue to go to school and try. They include:

* Enrolling in an additional year of high school or independent study, subject to school board approval.

* Enrolling in an adult school program run by a K-12 school district.

* Enrolling in a charter school.

* Attending a community college that has a diploma completion program.

O'Connell also said students could obtain a diploma equivalent by passing the General Educational Development (GED) test or the California High School Proficiency Exam.

And he said he is working with the Legislature to change laws to allow more students to attend adult school, summer school and independent study, and to allow students without diplomas to seek financial aid for community college.

"Failure to pass the exam simply means their basic education is not yet complete," O'Connell said.

His decision applies to students in regular education - O'Connell said seniors with disabilities should be exempt from passing the exit exam this year. A lawsuit seeking to waive the exam for special education students goes to court Tuesday.

A separate lawsuit - seeking relief from the exit exam for all other students in the senior class - is likely to follow.

"We're taking the gloves off," said attorney Arturo Gonzalez of the Morrison & Foerster law firm in San Francisco.

"There's absolutely no question but that we'll be filing a lawsuit against the superintendent and the state board of education."

Gonzalez said O'Connell has failed to adequately study alternatives to the exam, as required by law.

"Holding one hearing during the holidays is not a good faith analysis of the alternatives," Gonzalez said of the public meeting held last month.

O'Connell's spokesman said he was confident the state's process for reviewing alternatives would hold up in court.

"Study and consideration of this issue goes far beyond the public meeting," said Rick Miller.

Gonzalez said he will argue that the state cannot impose a single test on all students because it has not provided the same learning opportunities at all schools. Research shows that schools with large numbers of students failing the exam also have the most math and English teachers lacking expertise in those subjects.

And he criticized O'Connell's options as being out of touch with reality.

"How many of these kids are going to want to go back for a fifth year of high school so they can take a course to pass the exit exam?" he said. "It's not going to happen."

It's not going to happen for Ty'Wanna Thomas, a senior at Hiram Johnson High School who has not yet passed the exam. She said she didn't like most of the options O'Connell laid out. Another year of high school, enrolling in adult school and getting a GED all are out of the question, said Thomas, 17.

"That's why I'm doing as much as I can, so I can walk the stage, graduate with my right class and receive my diploma," she said.

If that plan fails, Thomas said, she will go to a community college.

The options O'Connell deemed acceptable drew ire from exit exam opponents who want a different kind of test for students who fail the test or to allow them to submit a portfolio of their best work.

"It's really a pass by the K-12 system," said Liz Guillen, director of legislative affairs for Public Advocates, a nonprofit legal group.

"The superintendent of public instruction is really saying, 'Let those other systems do it.'"

John Rogers, an education professor at UCLA, said O'Connell's decision ignores the real problem for failing students.

"The options neglect to address that students who have failed the exam often are failing because they've had substandard schooling over a number of years," he said. "You need to create a fundamentally different and more robust educational experience."

Supporters of the exit exam, including business leaders and education advocates, say the test is so basic - measuring performance on sixth-through 10th-grade skills - that relaxing the requirement would harm students in the long run. They joined Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger in applauding O'Connell's position.

"This is a test of California's will," said Russlynn Ali, director of Education Trust West, an Oakland group that advocates academic achievement for low-income students.

"Do we believe students can learn up to a middle school level education? And will we do what it takes to get them there? If not, let's not pretend we're doing them a favor" by granting diplomas to those who can't pass the test, she said.

At the start of the school year, an estimated 90,000 seniors had not yet passed the two-part exam. O'Connell said Friday that 19,000 in that class have passed the math section in the last few months and 20,000 have passed the English section. The state cannot track how many students pass both parts, and students must succeed on both sections to get a diploma.

 

[Nienna]

"The options neglect to address that students who have failed the exam often are failing because they've had substandard schooling over a number of years," he said. "You need to create a fundamentally different and more robust educational experience."

This is typical. Blame anyone but yourself. Presumably SOME students are passing the test and graduating. They must have other factors working their favor, right?

If you don't know the material, you shouldn't get the degree.

 

[Annie]

This is typical. Blame anyone but yourself. Presumably SOME students are passing the test and graduating. They must have other factors working their favor, right?

If you don't know the material, you shouldn't get the degree.

Exactly. I think there might be exceptions for special needs kids, who get a modified diploma in the first place.

Schools should not be misrepresenting the product they turn out, with false labeling. The kids can achieve, the markers must be set.

 

[Nienna]

Exactly. I think there might be exceptions for special needs kids, who get a modified diploma in the first place.

Schools should not be misrepresenting the product they turn out, with false labeling. The kids can achieve, the markers must be set.

The markers seemed pretty low to begin with. 6th-10th grade material in a 12th grade exit exam. C'mon, people.

 

[Annie]

The markers seemed pretty low to begin with. 6th-10th grade material in a 12th grade exit exam. C'mon, people.

Hopefully that is to phase in a plan of markers. No school wants to award less than 85% diplomas. Truth to tell, most of us forget specifics of school work when the test is over. Most of the basis of what you know were laid down through 8th grade.

High school covers most of the same ground, in more depth. Exceptions made for math and science where new material is really presented.

 

[Nienna]

Hopefully that is to phase in a plan of markers. No school wants to award less than 85% diplomas. Truth to tell, most of us forget specifics of school work when the test is over. Most of the basis of what you know were laid down through 8th grade.

High school covers most of the same ground, in more depth. Exceptions made for math and science where new material is really presented.

That's pretty true. Of course, in our Catholic school curriculum, we learned new stuff in religoin. In GS, it was mostly Catholic catechism. In HS, we took World Religion, Old & New Testament, and Love & Relationships, among other things. But you're right; I can't remember much new material outside of math & science in HS.

 

[Annie]

That's pretty true. Of course, in our Catholic school curriculum, we learned new stuff in religoin. In GS, it was mostly Catholic catechism. In HS, we took World Religion, Old & New Testament, and Love & Relationships, among other things. But you're right; I can't remember much new material outside of math & science in HS.

Even in religion, the basis must be laid down early for the further study in later years. If that early basis was not there, it's very unlikely that most 14-18 year olds would actually bother. It's hard enough when kids have been raised with values, as there are so many temptations along with the natural desire to begin the independence process.

Now a twenty something person, at that age or a bit later, many do feel a calling, whatever the background was.

 

[Abbey Normal]

We're taking the gloves off," said attorney Arturo Gonzalez of the Morrison & Foerster law firm in San Francisco. "There's absolutely no question but that we'll be filing a lawsuit against the superintendent and the state board of education."

Another fine example of what I stated in another thread is possibly the biggest factor in public schools failing today. There have always been uninvolved parents, and kids with scary homes, and these are surely big problems too, but without the ability to pursue the programs and the discipline needed without fear of expensive lawsuits, the teachers and the administrations have their hands tied. They are afraid to do the right thing, and have little recourse anyway when a kid is out of control or simply won't do the work.

 

[Annie]

Another fine example of what I stated in another thread is possibly the biggest factor in public schools failing today. There have always been uninvolved parents, and kids with scary homes, and these are surely big problems too, but without the ability to pursue the programs and the discipline needed without fear of expensive lawsuits, the teachers and the administrations have their hands tied. They are afraid to do the right thing, and have little recourse anyway when a kid is out of control or simply won't do the work.

Part of the reason I'm heartened by the judicial appointments. If schools begin winning these suits, and the plaintiffs get stuck with the legal bills, things would change pretty quick.

 

[Abbey Normal]

Part of the reason I'm heartened by the judicial appointments. If schools begin winning these suits, and the plaintiffs get stuck with the legal bills, things would change pretty quick.

Amen, sister!

 

[liberalogic]

You guys are right on. The entire problem lies in the fact that education in general has lost its standards. Kids are passed because high schools don't want to look bad. Kids get by on work that is well below the level of acceptability. It's time that the school system look at itself and challenge and motivate students, not just encourage them to get by.

Do you think that tenure might play a role in this? I've seen many teachers attain this level and then slack off and not care. My HS english teacher never returned a single paper....we handed things in and came out with grades at the end of the quarter, but he never gave us our papers back. What kind of a role model for work ethic is that? And, needless to say, no one took the AP test because no one was prepared.

The school system needs to really look in the mirror and rethink the possibilities that a sound, rigorous, and balanced education has to offer the youth of America.