posted on February 9, 2006 07:55:14 AM new
Suit Filed Against High Schools' Exit Exam
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) - To graduate this year, high school senior Nadira Wasi faces a requirement that no class before hers has - the state's high school exit exam.
Wasi, 17, is part of a program for students who need extra assistance in school. She passed the English section but has twice failed the math portion.
On Wednesday, 20 high school seniors and their parents sued the state Department of Education and school Superintendent Jack O'Connell, claiming the exam is illegal and discriminatory. They worry the test may prevent the students from graduating.
``I don't think it should hold up your graduation,'' said Wasi, who is not part of the lawsuit but would be affected if it is successful.
The lawsuit was filed in San Francisco County Superior Court. It seeks a court injunction to delay the consequences of the exam for students in this year's class. Defendants also include the state of California and the state Board of Education.
Lead attorney Arturo Gonzalez said the lawsuit likely will expand to represent tens of thousands of students who have met all local requirements to graduate except passing both sections of the exam.
``Many students in California have not been given a fair opportunity to learn the material on the exam,'' Gonzalez said. ``These are good kids who have worked hard for 13 years to pass their courses.''
Gonzalez said the state failed to study alternatives for students who could not pass the test, particularly students who are nonnative speakers of English, as the legislation required when lawmakers approved the exam in 1999. The lawsuit also claims the state is denying some students their fundamental right to an equal education.
Department of Education spokeswoman Hilary McLean said she had no immediate comment on the lawsuit because department officials had not seen it.
But O'Connell, who helped write the exit exam legislation, said last month he had considered alternative assessments for students who fail to pass the exam before deciding against them. The state held a public hearing in December to take comments on its options.
O'Connell has said that students who fail the exam can take another year of high school, get extra tutoring, enroll in summer school or attend community college until they pass. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger included $40 million for tutorial programs in his budget for the fiscal year that begins July 1.
Nationwide, 23 states have graduation exams and four more are phasing them in by 2012, according to the Washington, D.C.-based Center on Education Policy. Most states offer options for students with special needs and nonnative speakers of English, center president Jack Jennings said.
At the start of this school year, about 100,000 seniors in California had not passed at least one of the sections - more than one-fifth of the state's roughly 450,000 high school seniors.
State officials have said they do not have updated figures, although they say the number is much lower now because students have had several chances to take the exam this school year.
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Never ask what sort if computer a guy drives. If he's a Mac user, he'll tell you. If he's not, why embarrass him? - Tom Clancy
posted on February 9, 2006 08:01:56 AM new
::At the start of this school year, about 100,000 seniors in California had not passed at least one of the sections - more than one-fifth of the state's roughly 450,000 high school seniors.::
And yet their teachers go on strike once every three years when they are presented with the possibility of having to prove their worthiness for the job.
Personally I think the kids should be a standardized skills test given at the end of every school year to determine whether a student will be advanced on or not and that teachers continued employment and pay levels should be partially based on the results of their students.
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Never ask what sort if computer a guy drives. If he's a Mac user, he'll tell you. If he's not, why embarrass him? - Tom Clancy
posted on February 9, 2006 08:54:27 AM newPersonally I think the kids should be a standardized skills test given at the end of every school year to determine whether a student will be advanced on or not and that teachers continued employment and pay levels should be partially based on the results of their students.
Agree 100%. But it will only work IF the parents support the teachers.
Several Houston teachers are retiring early because of the lack of support from the parents and school admins.
"More Iraqis think things are going well in Iraq than Americans do. I guess they dont get the New York Times over there.Jay Leno".
posted on February 9, 2006 10:48:10 AM new
:::"Lead attorney Arturo Gonzalez said the lawsuit likely will expand to represent tens of thousands of students who have met all local requirements to graduate except passing both sections of the exam.":::
If a significant percentage of the graduating students have met all local requirements to graduate except passing both sections of the exam, the local school requirements, administration and teacher qualifications should be examined closely. Allow voluntary administration of the exam for 11th graders so those with test anxiety and other issues have ample opportunity to garner a passing score prior to graduation.
:::``Many students in California have not been given a fair opportunity to learn the material on the exam,'' Gonzalez said. ``These are good kids who have worked hard for 13 years to pass their courses.'':::
Why should the students have to learn material specific to the exam? At the end of 13 years of education, a student should be able to generalize their knowledge and taught skills to the exam questions. It is a sham if you have to "teach" the student the exam questions in order for them to be able to pass. The whole purpose of the exit exam has been defeated. The test is not a specific knowledge test more than a competency exhibition of basic skills.
:::"The lawsuit also claims the state is denying some students their fundamental right to an equal education.":::
If the children have gone through the education system, they have had their fundamental right to an "equal education". No one can make the students do their lessons, turn in their assignments or attend class. That motivation comes from within the child paired with motivation and encouragement from parents and teachers. I am including in my opinion students who speak and read English as a second language. Please note: I am not including students who have been tested and labeled as having special needs.
:::"O'Connell has said that students who fail the exam can take another year of high school, get extra tutoring, enroll in summer school or attend community college until they pass.":::
I agree completely with those options. Otherwise we are dumbing down the future citizens of this country. The article doesn't say about the curriculum level of the exit exam in question, but in the state where I live, the exit exam for graduating seniors is based on 8th to 10th grade curriculum levels of Reading, Riting and Rithmatic.
IMO the educational system as a whole is appalling.
posted on February 9, 2006 03:04:43 PM new
Many of the 'teachers' in California are about as useful as a fireman on a diesel locomotive, yet are dogged about defending their tenure. LET'S SHINE THE LIGHT ON THEIR WORK PRODUCT!
This is a TENTH GRADE LEVEL TEST!
Let me repeat that...
This is a TENTH GRADE LEVEL TEST!
It should be given at the completion of the tenth grade. If you cannot pass it, your Junior year should be probationary. If you do not show marked improvement or pass by completion of the eleventh grade, your Senior year is really a mute subject. Have a good life, here's your feeble attempt certificate.
If you are that #*!@ dumb, or educationally-challenged, quit wasting mainstream teachers salaries and the classroom time available to viable mainstream students! This is preparation for the future, not a feel good program for idiots.
__________
The Islamofascist fig-puckers are fighting to spread their culture and religion, and to destroy ours
posted on February 9, 2006 04:05:37 PM new
Park - that is why I think there should be standardized tests at each grade. Why wait until 10th to find out the kid didn't get the basics back in 6th and so has had nothing to build on.
If you test at each grade the student can address the problem in summer school classes and either ready when the next year begins or confirm early on in the game that more work is needed and a grade should be repeated or that a tutor is needed in a specific subject before they fall so far behind that it's nearly impossible to get caught up.
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Never ask what sort if computer a guy drives. If he's a Mac user, he'll tell you. If he's not, why embarrass him? - Tom Clancy
posted on February 9, 2006 04:33:33 PM new
I absolutely agree with most of what everyone else has posted.
1) Every student should take a test at the end of EVERY school year. If they fail it, give them a second chance the following week. Sometimes people have bad days or freeze up out of nervousness.
2) If they fail both tests, make them go to summer school.
3) They retake the test at the end of summer school. If they pass, move them on to the next grade. If they fail, that's three chances. They must repeat the school year.
4) There should be a count kept for how many failure-students each teacher has produced. After a certain number, the teacher gets a warning. If the number doesn't go down after a year, fire them. Statisticians can come up with a failed-student number that eliminates the "some kids are just plain dumb" argument.
I know the teachers unions would hate this, but I cannot imagine a better solution to the problem. The kids education is in the teacher's hands. If they don't do their jobs, they need to be replaced.
I also realize that in some environments, children cannot learn, such as inner-city schools with gang problems, and so forth. I think discipling needs to be stepped up... If one child disrupts the class repeatedly, they need to be removed. I don't have a perfect solution for this, but removing the obstacles to learning would help everyone.
Dr. Arcane, revelator of mystical secrets http://www.drarcane.com
Got questions about the secrets of the universe?
posted on February 9, 2006 06:13:10 PM new
I believe I read that the NCLB bill requires the children be tested at three different times from K-10...thereby knowing where they are vs where they should be at that point. Plus testing in 10th leaves two years to catch up IF they are behind.
I wouldn't disagree with testing each year. Maybe every other year. But they CAN'T wait until their senior year and then go..."Nope, you're staying back and repeating 11th again". It needs to be dealt with LONG before they're ready to graduate.
But with one of my friends son, he didn't have all the requirements met to graduate from HS and they let him earn the extra credits in summer school so that he could graduate with his class. But he wasn't allowed to attend the graduation ceremony since he didn't have the requirements met in time.
But on the lawsuit...I personally hope the judge throws it out. But then we are talking about a CA judge. lol
posted on February 9, 2006 06:36:23 PM new
NCLB requires exit testing as a condition for graduation from high school. Other states, mine included, are testing students at each grade level from third grade on. Here, we have exit skill expectations for each grade level, all building on the high school test. While the tests aren't tied to grades or promotion, they do give a fairly good indicator along the way of how kids are advancing towards the high school test. In high school, students here can begin taking the test in sophomore year. Once they meet or exceed the standards, they're done, and don't have to do it again. As an additional incentive, a student who doesn't just meet the standards but who exceeds them in all subjects can have a free 4 year ride to any in-state university.
States and schools can implement the NCLB standards in a number of ways, but they all have to follow minimum NCLB requirements. It's not an option. If California or this local district maybe are making students wait till 11th grade, they're doing their kids a grave injustice, and should have their pants sued off.
I ought to mention, fenix and others who're throwing around the term "standardized test". Do you know what a standardized test is? Do you know how many actual human students fit the parameters of the idealized student that standardized tests are standardized for?
Just curious.
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posted on February 9, 2006 08:10:35 PM new
"Gonzalez said the state failed to study alternatives for students who could not pass the test, particularly students who are nonnative speakers of English"
It looks like a case of foreigners wanting us to bow down to their ways. Cripe, learn to live here our way or leave.
Alternatives? You have a choice, either pass the damn test or don't graduate!
posted on February 9, 2006 08:43:10 PM new
"Gonzalez said the state failed to study alternatives for students who could not pass the test, particularly students who are nonnative speakers of English"
Give them a "free" year or two depending on their age to learn the language, then they should have the same requirements of everyone else.
Dr. Arcane, revelator of mystical secrets http://www.drarcane.com
Got questions about the secrets of the universe?
posted on February 9, 2006 09:14:29 PM new
Prof - when I refer to a standardized test, I guess I am saying that the educational expectation levels should be the same across the country. I think that students that enter the system spoeaking a foreign language then the test in initial years should be given in their native language with an additional test to judge their ptogress in learning english skills. I don't think that am intelligent student should be held back because simply because they are unable to express that intelligence in a language that is not native to them but at the same time, I think that not expecting them to have equivalent growth in english is doing them a great disservice once they enter the "real world"
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Never ask what sort if computer a guy drives. If he's a Mac user, he'll tell you. If he's not, why embarrass him? - Tom Clancy
