Glendale students top state average in last year of high school exit exam

Nearly all of the Glendale students who took the California High School Exit Exam during the 2014-15 academic year passed it, according to the results state officials released last week.

Of the 10th-graders who were tested, 93% passed the math portion and 92% passed the English portion of the exam.

Comparatively, the state average saw 85% of students pass both the math and English language arts sections of the test.

Of the Glendale students who took the test and live in low-income households, 90% passed the math portion and 88% passed the English language arts portion.

That rate was significantly higher than the state average that saw 79% of economically disadvantaged students pass both math and English sections of the exam.

This year marks the last year districts will receive scores of the California High School Exit Exam, known as the CAHSEE, as Senate Bill 725, which was signed into law in August, suspended the exam.

The test became a requirement for students to pass in order to receive their high school diplomas beginning with the graduating class of 2004.

The exam was based on former English and math standards, and tested students’ proficiency in those content areas, but it was very “traditional,” said Deb Rinder, director of secondary education for Glendale Unified.

“It’s not reflecting what we’re currently teaching our kids,” she said, adding that students will graduate based on their completion of graduation requirements.

Now, as school districts across the state have adopted the Common Core State Standards, they are intent on students achieving proficiency across all content areas with the aim to prepare them for college and careers.

With the Common Core, educators are focused on the “four Cs,” which are collaboration, critical thinking, creativity and communication, she said.

“The motto in Glendale is preparing students for their future. And, we would add, for 21st century skills. I think the challenge that we have is that the majority of jobs that our students will hold really have not been created. So how to do you create college- and career-ready individuals for jobs that have yet to be created?” she asked. “Really successful people have the ability to apply their knowledge and utilize what we refer to as the ‘four Cs’ in life.”

She said educators will continue to use other assessments to test pupils’ critical thinking, basic knowledge and literacy, with an overarching focus on how students apply those skills.

“That’s the direction that we’re headed. That’s what businesses and colleges are requesting,” Rinder said.

--

Kelly Corrigan, kelly.corrigan@latimes.com

Twitter: @kellymcorrigan