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Other Education Reform Issues

High Stakes High School Assessments

One issue the ACLU is currently paying close attention to is High Stakes - High School Assessments (HSAs). Also known as exit exams, these tests are “high stakes” because a student must pass all four tests in order to graduate. Different types of high-pressure assessments have been implemented in 26 states in recent years.  The graduating class of 2009 will be held to these new high stakes standards.

In Maryland, the High School Assessments are a series of four tests: English II, algebra/data analysis, biology and government. Students take these exams as they finish the courses and they must pass each of the four tests or achieve a minimum cut and composite score by their senior year in order to graduate.

The new high school assessments have further identified the consistent student performance gap between racial groups. In 2006, 57.7% of African-American, 51.6% of Hispanic, and 84.2% of special education students across the state did not pass the English II exam whereas 72.1% of white students passed the exams.  Similar results are true for the Biology, Government and the Algebra high school assessments.   If these pass rates remain consistent there will be thousands of children in 2009 that will not be able to graduate from high school because of the new state requirement.

While the ACLU believes that it is good to challenge students and hold them to high standards it is also equally important for the Maryland State Department of Education to ensure that students have access to highly qualified teachers, appropriate resources and quality school facilities that will enable students to meet this new high stakes challenge. 

Prior to implementing the high stakes component of the new high school exams the ACLU believes that the MSDE should certify that all of Maryland’s students have access to learning conditions that will facilitate their ability to achieve on these exams otherwise Maryland is holding its students responsible for the state’s failure to provide them an adequate education. 

Additionally, there are a series of unacknowledged additional costs associated with high stakes HSAs. Supplemental educational services will need to be provided for students who did not pass the exams and facilities will have to be upgraded to accommodate students who normally would have graduated.  In addition, the implementation of the statewide curriculum will have to be evaluated to make sure local education agencies are providing students with the material they need to pass their HSAs. Paying for these new items would represent an increase above and beyond the funding increases legally mandated by the Bridge to Excellence in Public Schools Act.

More information about High School Assessments, click BELOW:

·    ACLU testimony in opposition to HSAs

·    The Maryland State Department of Education: http://www.marylandpublicschools.org/MSDE/testing/hsa/

·    The League of Women Voters Baltimore City study on HSAs

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