Legislature Revisiting the CAHSEE

August 26, 2007 by dave

I didn't realize that the California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE) was under attack again. According to this Sacramento Bee article, AB 1379 "would lay the groundwork for using other measures of academic proficiency instead of just the exit exam. Those could include academic transcripts, completion of projects and alternative tests, for example. The bill was approved by the Assembly, 47-31, and is pending in the Senate."

Do you remember the term "multiple measures"? This bill is the same attempt to water down accountability. The reason we have the CAHSEE in the first place is that students were graduating without basic reading or writing skills despite having completed all of the graduation requirements. The CAHSEE's level of accountability is pretty low, with tenth grade language arts and 8th or 9th grade mathematics. The percentage required to pass isn't even that high; only 55% for math and 60% for language arts.

By allowing other measures including "include academic transcripts, completion of projects, coursework portfolios, and alternative tests that are aligned to state content standards", I believe we're going to end up exactly we were before the CAHSEE. Students will graduate using these other measures and they'll graduate without these very basic skills.

Fortunately, the Governor vetoed a similar bill in 2005. It seems likely that he'd veto this one as well if it manages to make it to his desk. Despite all the other hard things I've had to say about Superintendent O'Connell, he is a strong supporter of the CAHSEE.

Requiring passage of the exit exam creates an objective benchmark for measuring students, comparing districts, holding schools accountable and ensuring that all teenagers have basic skills to work in a global economy, supporters say.

Hilary McLean, O'Connell's spokeswoman, said the exit exam was developed because subjective ways of measuring proficiency, such as grades, were resulting in teenagers receiving diplomas even if they couldn't read or do basic math.

The exit exam is "our best tool for ensuring that students have mastered critical skills," McLean said.

Schwarzenegger, in vetoing 2005 legislation, said it "sends the wrong message" to allow alternative assessments.

"We have a responsibility to each of our students to believe in them, and not to have low expectations," his veto message said.

The CAHSEE has really made a difference. Schools are paying more attention to students who aren't prepared for graduation. Students who previously would have graduated without these basic skills are now getting extra attention from their schools. The students themselves are paying more attention to their school work. Their parents are aware of whether their student is ready to graduate. The CAHSEE added an "in your face" aspect of accountability that is too difficult to ignore.

I sincerely hope that this legislation doesn't make it and the Governor, State Superintendent and the legislature stay strong on this one aspect of accountability.

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