Many readers probably have read about the issues surrounding California’s (US) High School Exit Examination (CAHSEE) and students with Learning Disabilities. The topic’s been swirling for many months, with litigation, legislation, and (of course) political grandstanding. California’s governor signed legislation 30 January exempting high school seniors with disabilities from the requirement; to be exempt students with disabilities must be on track for graduation.
California’s exit exam requires that “all” (yes, I’m hedging) students who receive high school diplomas must pass tests of English and mathematics competence. The tests are designed to determine whether students can handle literacy tasks at about the 10th grade level and arithmetic and mathematics tasks at about the 7th grade level (approximations; grade levels are such a squishy measure). California’s plans included accommodations (e.g., scribes, sign-language interpreters) that should have allayed some of the concerns. However, only about 1 in 3 students with disabilities have passed the test.
I’ve intended to cover this topic, but just haven’t done so. (More paving stones on the road to perdition, I ’spose.) For those who are interested here are a few links to help examine the examination issue.
- CA Department of Education subsite describing the CAHSEE;
- Los Angeles (CA; US) Times article by Duke Helfand about the signing;
- San Fransisco (CA; US) Chronicle forum showing youths’ opinions about the matter.
- Google news search on ‘California high school exit test disabilties’
- Google news search on ‘California high school exit test disabilties’
As an aside: For some practical information about accommodations and students with disabilities, see an article my colleagues and I published in January in Teaching Exceptional Children. It’s not yet listed on the Web site yet, but should be soon. Citation:
Edgemon, E. A., Jablonski, B. R., & Lloyd, J. W. (2006). Large-scale assessments: A teacher’s guide to making decisions about accommodations. Teaching Exceptional Children, 38(3), 6-11.
Sphere: Related Content
Hi John, I am still thinking about the “LDs 101 for media” idea–too many other things on the burner this very second.
Here’s breaking news I heard on a reputable talk show yesterday
“Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed a bill Monday that gives special education students who are on track to graduate from high school this year an exemption from having to pass the state’s fledgling exit exam. Senate Bill 517 establishes a one-year exemption to the exam but applies only to the estimated 25,000 high school seniors with disabilities who otherwise would qualify to graduate in June. That still leaves as many as 75,000 high school seniors who will be unable to graduate because they have yet to pass the exit exam.
Civil rights attorney Arturo Gonzalez, a partner at San Francisco’s biggest lawfirm Morrison & Foerster is bent on changing that grim reality. He is set to file a lawsuit on behalf of these 75,000 students next week against the California Department of Education which will seek diplomas for those students who passed their classes, but did not pass the exit exam.”
Dang. I was too late to archive the thing as a podcast. Interesting discussion on the realities of teaching and learning in California–and why kids may not be able to pass.
One interesting question is that Gonzalez asserts that many working adults, even those with college degrees, may be unable to pass the test.
I’ve asked Kimberly Swygert, my woman on testing issues, to comment.