Tom Torlakson
The state schools chief recently unveiled the results of the California High School Exit Examination for the class of 2015.
Superintendent Tom Torlakson made the announcement following the signage of two bills into law which render the the exit exam moot.
Academy of the Canyons came out on top with a 100-percent pass rate in both math and English language arts.
West Ranch High School came in second with a 97-percent pass rate, Valencia High School third with 95 percent, Hart High School and Saugus High School tied for fourth with a 93-percent pass rate, Canyon High School is in fifth with 92 percent, and Golden Valley High School is last at 86-percent.
There were 3,858 students tested from the William S. Hart Union School District. Of those, 3,588 passed the test.
The Hart District is above the county norm with a 92-percent pass rate in math and a 93-percent pass rate in English language arts. The county came away with an 84-percent pass rate in both math and English.
Statewide, the pass rate in math and English was 85 percent.
The exit exam is no longer required for high school students. Senate Bill 725 passed Aug. 26 and suspended the test as a diploma requirement for students who met all graduation requirements.
Senate Bill 172, signed Oct. 7, completely eliminates the test as a requirement for graduation, retroactive to the Class of 2006. SB 172 takes effect Jan. 1.
Like this:
Like Loading...
Related
Tweet This
Facebook
Digg This
Bookmark
Stumble
RSS
REAL NAMES ONLY: All posters must use their real individual or business name. This applies equally to Twitter account holders who use a nickname.
3 Comments
For some reason the elimination of the requirement to pass a standard exam to demonstrate a basic level of academic accomplishment in order to graduate reminds me of the words of Forrest Gump: “Stupid is as stupid does”. The argument that not passing the exam prevented someone from going to college is exactly the reason for the exam in the first place. Someone who can not pass a basic test of academic capability has NO business going to college.
College is NOT and should NOT be for everyone. Someone who can not pass a basic academic knowledge exam has little to no chance of graduating from college unless they go to a “no-grade” liberal college. The waste of college costs when they eventually fail can not be justified. For most HS graduating students, money is better spent learning a productive vocation for future financial success.
When did it become expected that everyone go to college? If this were the case, then a college degree becomes meaningless just like a HS Diploma becomes meaningless when everyone graduates regardless of academic achievement or effort. A HS Diploma used to have value and was something to be proud of. It did not mean that someone wasted 4 years without learning basic information or capabilities. An employer had some confidence that by hiring someone with a HS Diploma that person had at least basic skills in Math and English so they could be productive and worth the wage paid to them.
I expect I will get a lot of negative feedback from these comments from the “feel good” liberals who support the concept of “redistribution of academic achievement” to everyone so no one gets their feelings hurt.
This attitude, in the long run, hurts everyone since NO one gets any sense or pride of accomplishment or enhanced self esteem. Rewarding those who do not put forth the effort to achievement only hurts those same people in the long run since they develop an “entitlement” mentality and can not compete in the real world where effort is required to succeed.
If they passed the class requirements and tests they should be allowed to graduate. They earned it. I see no reason to test again when it might have been over 3 years since they took the class. Good grief not all of us remember forever the facts learned in a high school class, especially if we don’t use them in our everyday life.
I saw nothing that says that college entrance exams are done away with so I am not sure what you are so hot about.
Also, I am a conservative not a liberal.
Quit generalizing.