WASHINGTON—States are increasingly adopting the idea of exit exams as a way to boost the importance of a high school diploma. Today, Alabama 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 product 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 they will reauthorize the act. They 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 Alabama the exit exams are known as the Alabama High School Graduation Exam, or AHSGE. Here’s a primer on how the exams work.
What major changes have the exams undergone in the past few years?
In 2009 the state board of education voted to replace the comprehensive AHSGE with individualized end-of-course exams. The freshmen class of 2011-12 will be the last class required to take the broader exams, and the end-of-course exams will completely replace the comprehensive exams by the 2014-15 school year.
These tests, instead of being pass/fail, will count for 20 percent of a student’s course grade.
How do high school exit exams align with the Common Core State Standards initiative?
Alabama is one of the 44 states that has adopted the Common Core initiative, which is a state-led movement to raise student standards so they are ready for college or a career after high school. The Alabama state board of education, currently working with two consortia, is expected to release the Common Core assessments for the 2014-15 school year, and these will align with the end-of-course assessments.
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?
Alabama, along with the other 43 states currently involved with implementing the Common Core initiative, is pushing to raise learning standards so students are better prepared for life after high school.
Along with shifting to the more intensive end-of-course exams, the Alabama state board of education is also looking to raise the passing score on the tests required for students to graduate.
In which subjects are students tested?
Students are tested in reading, math, biology, social studies and language. And since 2003-04 the math and reading exams have been used to satisfy the No Child Left Behind benchmarks. In 2007-08 the state also started to use the biology portion of the AHSGE to meet the federal requirements.
Can a student still graduate if they fail a high school exit exam?
A student can graduate without passing all portions of the exam, but he or she will not receive a diploma until they pass the whole exam. Students can re-take the exam as many times as necessary after completing 12th grade until he or she does pass, at which point the student will receive a diploma.
What is Alabama’s graduation rate?
In the 2008-2009 school year 87 percent of students graduated high school. During the same year 92 percent of students passed the social studies exam by the end of 12th grade, which was the lowest passing rate of the tests. And 95 percent of students passed the math exam by the end of 12th grade, which was the highest passing rate among the tests.
Do English language learners and students with disabilities take the exams?
All students are required to take the exam unless he or she has an individualized education program that allows for an alternate path to graduation. This is an option for designated students with disabilities, who then can receive an Alabama Occupational Diploma without taking the exit exam.
This is not an option for English Language Learners, though those students are provided with some accommodations on the exams, such as the use of interpreters or taking the exam in a separate classroom.
Do states provide funding for remediation services if a student fails the exam(s)?
Yes, the state provides funding for remediation, which the districts are then required to enact. Students can retake the exam up to four times before the end of 12th grade.