Governor approves exit exam reprieve for 5000 students

Carol Liu, D-Los Angeles, would make that decision legal by suspending high school exit testing through the end of 2017-2018, and require the state Superintendent of Public Instruction to convene an advisory panel to make recommendations on continuing the exit exam or determine alternative pathways to satisfy high school graduation requirements. That unfinished business was keeping students from enrolling in training courses, the military, and college.

I completely support this action – the exit exam was not administered in July and a number of students who had completed all other graduation requirements and planned to retake the exam were deprived of that opportunity.

An urgency measure exempting the students from the English and math exam, which is no longer available to take, sailed through the state Legislature in less than a week and now awaits the governor’s signature.

Giving students these diplomas was the right decision, said San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee.

“Having your high school diploma is a major accomplishment for a student”.

Pan says more details on the parade will be announced as plans come together. The original exit exam was designed to ensure that students graduate with the basic knowledge and skills they need in the workplace and in life, and to shine a light on those students who are struggling.

“We didn’t give them diplomas, but we let them walk (the stage at the graduation event) with the hope the state would figure this out”, Ross said.

In the high-performing San Ramon Valley Unified School District, two additional students will officially graduate. Trustee Kathi McLauglin urged the board to help 17 district students caught in legal limbo with no way to earn a diploma.

“We are working to get those to them as soon as possible”, Graswich said.

The bill fixes a glitch that stopped some seniors in the class of 2015 from even trying this summer to pass the exam, after the state suspended it in June. The College of California and the California State College later introduced that they might not deny entry to admits affected by the examination cancellation.

The Department of Education’s August 27 announcement that the California Assessment of Student Performance Progress will be released in early September may provide some clarity for parents grappling to understand fluid education standards and test scores that may available.