The Value of High School Graduation Exams

In your April 28 editorial “Making a Diploma Meaningful,” you were on target when you wrote, “Nothing catches the attention of floundering students and their parents in quite the same way as an exit exam.” Here in Massachusetts, we’ve had our high school graduation test in operation since the class of 2003 and, speaking as a public school teacher for the last 33 years, I can tell you it is energizing. Finally, students and parents have been forced into admitting that their education is important.

Californians need to make sure that everyone is held accountable for passing the state exam even though there will be cries for lowering the standard(s) for minorities, limited-English speakers and the learning disabled. If you attempt to “lower” the standard for any group, that group of youngsters will be subject to the bigotry of low expectations, not just while they remain in school but for the rest of their lives. It’s a bigotry from which they will never escape, and it will unfortunately exacerbate their entry into the job market in ways they will never be able to understand.

Paul Hoss

Marshfield, Mass.

*

As a high school junior who passed the exit exam last year on my first attempt, I must agree with your assessment of the exam. The amount of knowledge required by the test is indeed minimal, and students who fail it do not demonstrate a sufficient level of achievement to receive a diploma. If anything, the requirements should be strengthened, as the low percentages necessary to pass allow students without a good grasp of the skills and concepts tested to earn diplomas.

The material on the test, math up to Algebra 1 and high-school-level English, is taught at all high schools, and is generally already required to graduate. High schools that fail to provide their students with the requisite skills to pass are failing at their mission and need drastic improvement.

David Porter

Irvine

*

Most Western countries, except the U.S., have exit exams for students to complete to graduate from high school. However, there is no “one-size-fits all” system -- students have different levels of graduation or matriculation. Students heading toward university must pass one type of exam while students with lesser academic goals take another exam. Students passing the less-challenging exam may always take the more academically challenging exam at a later time if they so decide.

Graduating from high school is an achievement and has meaning. Students know early on in their education that they must pass exams and work toward this goal.

We wonder why our educational system lags behind other countries. Maybe this helps explain why?

David Amitai

Los Angeles