CAHSEE California High School Exit Exam ChipMatt EricCrystal

Assessment Background 1999 – California Legislature set a graduation requirement for the Class of 2004 that they must pass a graduation exam in ELA and math After the administration of the CASHEE, the California Legislature deferred the requirement until The Board called for an independent study Over 8 years The Board been able to gather and analyze information pertaining to test quality, test results, and other evaluation activities

Benefits

Addresses low proficiency standards Demonstrate grade level competency -reading, writing, math Identifies students who are underperforming Encourages districts to provide remediation Two parts -English-Language Arts, Mathematics

Key Findings – Test Quality Modest improvements in alignment of CASHEE to target specifications Overall alignment judged to be good. Few areas need attention to depth of knowledge and clarity of coverage of target standard Consistency with which essays were scored somewhat improved Pass/fail decisions judged to be acceptable No problems observed with test administration, however there were some suggestions for test administrator training

Challenges

High stakes test base on accountability Does not improve student achievement Some students are denied diplomas English learners also have more difficulty meeting the CAHSEE

Many students from the Classes of 2006 and 2007 who did not meet the CAHSEE requirement by the end of their senior year continued on for a fifth and, in some cases, a sixth year to master the required skills, meet the CAHSEE requirement, and receive a diploma. While many have not yet been successful, a significant number were. CAHSEE passing rates are increasing, but many students with disabilities and English learners are not meeting the CAHSEE requirement. Many low-income and minority students have difficulty passing the CAHSEE. Key Points from Independent Study

Student Perspectives The proportion of students who said that the CAHSEE was an important test for them remained high, (79%) and was even higher (about 85%), for students who did not pass one or both parts. The percentage of students saying that they did as well as they could on the CAHSEE increased for both ELA (89% to 90%) and mathematics (85% to 87%). The percentage of students saying that most or all of the topics on the CAHSEE were covered in their courses remained high, at 94 percent for the ELA test and 92 percent for the mathematics test. Students also said that the questions on the CAHSEE were of about the same difficulty as questions encountered in their courses (83% for ELA and 82% for mathematics).

Provides benchmark for minimal level of student achievement of basic skills Positive unintended consequence of MCT was that it did drive alignment of expectations, curriculum and textbooks through which curriculum was taught. Drove state boards to use scientific item analysis to determine cut off scores MCT can gain acceptance if test taker can understand and appreciate the utility of the test. Example – SAT, ACT, GED Mandated by state with out additional money to implement Easier to mandate than to generate and implement. Mandates drafted quickly with out much attention to existing information State used it as a way to demand accountability for what they were funding, causing strife between teachers and state boards. Translation of test scores into classroom use can be lacking Minimum Competency Tests The Good & The Bad

References Greene, J.P. & Winters, M.A. (2004). Pushed up or pulled out? Exit exams and drop out rates in public high schools. Retrieved from Combining intellectual seriousness and practical wisdom with intelligent marketing and focused advocacy, the Manhattan Institute has achieved a reputation not only for effectiveness, but also for efficient use of its resources. Through a continuing emphasis on quality, we hope to sustain and augment our record of success. Pipho, C. (2002) Seven lessons learned from minimum competency testing. Retrieved from The Education Commission of the States Web site, features the nation's only comprehensive database of state education policy enactments by year and by policy issue; up-to-date information on more than 100 education policy topics, including summaries of and links to useful reports, studies and Web sites, and examples of innovative state policies and programs; and multi-state reports and databases that allow users to review and compare state policies on issues of top concern and interest.

References (continued) Overview of the California High School Exit Examination (CAHSEE) (2010) The California Department of Education website is independently monitored and provides access to a vast number of state and federal documents. Reardon, S.F., Atteberry, A., Arshan, N., & Kurlaender, M. (2009) Effects of the California High School Exit Exam on student persistence, achievement, and graduation. Retrieved from The Institute for Research on Education Policy and Practice, based at Stanford University is a member of the Education Policy Alliance- a network of university-based research units that provide high quality research on significant education policy and practice issues.Education Policy Alliance Sullivan, K.J. (2009) In new study, high school exit exam gets failing grade. Stanford Report. Retrieved from html