Not everyone excited about high school exit exams
By John Loesing
Acorn Staff Writer

Freshmen at Calabasas, Agoura and Oak Park high schools took the California High School Exit Exam for the first time last week, but not all administrators and students gave the test high marks.

The exam is being offered for the first time this year under Gov. Gray Davis’ education reforms. Beginning with the class of 2004 (this year’s freshmen), students must pass both the English language arts and mathematics sections to receive a high school diploma.

This year’s test is voluntary, but starting next year all sophomores will be required to take the exam, except those who passed it as ninth graders.

Confusion reigned right up until test time over whether this year’s scores would count or not.

An 11th-hour bill that would have made the exam only a practice exercise failed to meet Senate approval in Sacramento.

"They’ve had two studies done from the same independent research organization and in both of those studies the state was advised to postpone this and don’t move ahead because of reasons like opportunity to learn," said Joe Nardo, director of secondary education for Las Virgenes Unified School District. "Some kids haven’t had the opportunity to learn the material yet."

Almost half the 450 freshman at Calabasas High took the exam, but only 17 of Oak Park’s 246 freshmen signed up.

The students took as much time as they needed to complete the multiple choice and essay questions, but one student who finished in just two hours said the test was easier than he expected.

Most of the Oak Park freshmen decided to skip the exam altogether.

"I didn’t want to miss any classes, plus it’s just one more thing to have to study for," said Michael Alexander, who plans to take the exam next year as sophomore.

Students took the second half of the exam, the math portion, on Tuesday.

Next year there will be three opportunities to take the test. Students who don’t pass have three more chances in each of their junior and senior years.

A state study showed school districts expect between half to three-quarters of their students to pass the exam on their first attempt, but administrators as of yet still aren’t sure what constitutes a passing score.

Both Oak Park and Las Virgenes districts plan to offer tutorial help for students who have difficulty meeting the mark.

"We believe that our students should do as well on this as everything else," said Marilyn Lippiatt, Oak Park superintendent of schools. "They should be very well prepared because we’ve been teaching the standards and this should be one more way for them to demonstrate their knowledge."

The purpose of the test is twofold: Help improve high school achievement and make sure all graduates meet certain "rigorous" standards in English and math. The test is based on material through the 10th grade.

"The standards are out there. I don’t if it’s a good tool or not," Lippiatt said.

Of Agoura High’s 500 freshmen, 158 took the exam.

"What I like about it is it does set a baseline and says every student in California is going to have to measure up to this line," said Larry Misel, Agoura High principal.

But Misel said it might be a good idea to somehow combine the exit exam with the STAR exam, which is only one month away.

"If you over-test, they stop taking these things quite as seriously," Misel said.