Health & Fitness
California High School Exit Exam Is an Unneeded Cost
How can we save valuable education dollars in these tough state budget times? One possible solution is presented.
This is the first of two blogs on this topic. The California High School Exit Exam, heretofore referred to as CAHSEE, is administered to high school students commencing in the 10th grade. It is comprised of two parts—English and Math. It is a multiple choice test. Both tests are at 8th and 9th grade level of material.
Those who pass as sophomores never have to take it again. Those who fail at their first attempt, either one part or both, keep taking it through their senior year if necessary until they pass both parts. It is offered multiple times in their senior year.
Students still need a specified amount of credits according to district requirements in order to graduate (receive a diploma) regardless of their having passed both parts of CAHSEE.
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How much does it cost the State of California to create the test, print it, ship it back and forth to and from each high school, computer time to score the test, and to store the results? Also, many students take CAHSEE multiple times. Thus the cost goes up due to repeat non-performers.
Why do we continue to need a two-tier high school graduation system especially in the tough state budget times in which we find ourselves? I believe it is time for "CAHSEE at the Bat" to strike out as he did in that famous poem.
