WASHINGTON — States are increasingly adopting the idea of exit exams as a way to boost the importance of a high school diploma. Maryland is one of 28 states using the exams to measure student achievement. The tests, which are mandatory and affect students’ graduation rates and final course grades, are a direct product of the nationwide push for higher standards in schools.
The exit exams as they exist today are a direct result of President George W. Bush’s 2001 No Child Left Behind Act. But the question of how these standardized tests will play into student accountability hangs heavy in the air as states wait for Congress to decide whether to reauthorize the act. Members of Congress are slated to debate it sometime before August, and their decision will greatly influence how states choose to use these exams in determining a student’s readiness for college or a career.
In Maryland the exit exams are known as the High School Assessments, or HSAs. Here’s a primer on how the exams work:
What’s the difference between end-of-course exams and minimum competency/comprehensive exams?
Maryland schools use end-of-course exams in four subject areas, which are tied directly to a specific course, and often count as a percentage of the student’s final grade. Some states still use the comprehensive exams that cover several subjects taught over a year, but they are slowly being phased out in favor of the more targeted end-of-course exams.
How do high school exit exams align with the Common Core State Standards initiative?
Under the state-led Common Core initiative, which Maryland has adopted, there is a push to boost students past 10th-grade competency to even higher levels so they are ready for college or a career after high school. The Maryland State Board of Education, currently working with a consortium, is expected to release the Common Core assessments for the 2014-15 school year.
How have the goals of the tests changed over the past few years due to the No Child Left Behind Act and the Common Core State Standards Initiative?
Today the tests in Maryland are on par with 10th-grade expectation levels, said Steve Hess, director of research, development and accountability for Frederick County Public Schools. In the 1970s — when students were first tested — they looked for only “minimum competency,” or about seventh-grade skill level.
How have these exams affected Frederick County Public Schools?
“The tests were put in place to satisfy the No Child Left Behind requirements, and from that aspect it has made us closely examine achievement gaps,” FCPS Associate Superintendent Ann Bonitatibus said. “That’s where the legislation has really helped us.”
Achievement gaps are the disparities between different student groups, particularly dealing with race.
In which subjects are students tested?
Students are tested in English, algebra/data analysis, biology and government. But as of next school year the government test will no longer be administered due to financial restrictions. The English and algebra/data analysis tests are used to determine if a school meets its annual yearly progress goal, or AYP.
Can a student still graduate if he or she fails a high school exit exam?
Yes, but only if he or she completes one of the offered alternative paths to graduation. “We have yet to have a student,” Hess said, “who did not graduate in Frederick solely due to the HSA requirement.”
What is Maryland’s graduation rate?
In the 2008-09 school year, 85 percent of students graduated high school and 92.5 percent of students passed all four exit exams by the end of 12th grade.
Do English-language learners and students with disabilities take the exams?
Yes, all students are required to take the exams, but some students qualify to take the modified HSA. This test is based on the same benchmarks but offers alternative means of test delivery and uses simpler language.
Do states provide funding for remediation services if a student fails the exam(s)?
No specific funding is provided but there are tutors available during and after school in all Frederick schools.There was a funding increase when the tests were first implemented, which has now been consolidated with other revenue to cover all accountability cost requirements.