Analyzing the exit exam

It could be, as university researchers conjecture, that negative stereotypes of minorities and girls lead these two groups to perform worse on California’s high school exit exam. That doesn’t mean, however, that the state should back off from the exam intended to require a minimum level of competency among those who receive a diploma.

A study conducted by Stanford University and UC Davis found that among the lowest-performing students in the state, girls and members of ethnic minorities were more likely than white males to flunk the test, even when their scores on the state’s yearly standards tests were comparable. Because the standards tests have consequences for schools but not for students, the authors zeroed in on the pressure students feel about the exit exam. Flunking it means no diploma; the researchers suggest that students might be unable to do their best if they fear that failing will reflect poorly on their group.

This has led to calls for eliminating or altering the exam -- which is exactly what the state shouldn’t do at this point. Even if the “stereotype threat” theory proves true, the answer lies not in excusing students from the test but in giving them the education to pass it with confidence.

The exit exam measures modest academic skills, and students can pass even if they get nearly half the questions wrong. They have numerous opportunities to take the test and generous time allotments for completing it. As high-stakes testing goes, this is mild stuff. What will these young men and women do when they enter the world of higher-pressure exams, as increasing numbers of employers require tests in reading, writing and math for everyone from construction workers to cosmeticians? We cannot accept the notion that female and minority students will be forever at a disadvantage in landing these jobs.

The researchers found little evidence that the test drives students to drop out. And it’s worth repeating that these differences between white males and the other groups were found among the lowest academic achievers. If schools raise the academic skills of their low performers, the discrepancies will likely disappear.

The exit exam has not raised student performance so far, the study found, but it is premature to expect such results. The test went into effect with the graduating class of 2006, and the study examines the first students affected. We hope the researchers will continue tracking data and parsing it for new insights. The most useful ones would inform schools about better ways to help students pass the exam, rather than imply that it should be scrapped.