Subject: Other
Grade Level(s): 10 – 12
Measures Growth: No
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California created the California High School Exit Exam to improve student achievement in high schools. The test is designed to ensure that students graduate from high school with grade level skills in reading, writing, and math. Students first take this test in grade ten. If they do not pass the test in grade ten, they have more chances to take the test. In grade eleven, they can take the test two times. In grade twelve, they have up to five times to take the test.
Pros: Takes students a reasonable amount of time to complete
Cons: Does not assess higher-order thinking • Misses growth of some students, such as those far below and/or far above grade level • Takes students too long to complete
Cons: Difficult to administer • Results are not returned quickly • Doesn't help me track my students' learning gains over time • It is hard to use the data • Is not helpful to my professional growth as a teacher
It is strange that the CAHSEE is listed as other, since there are two tests: Math and English. The English test covers a large number of standards (the standards for grades 9 and 10 are the same) and so it is hard to know what will be tested or emphasized. Generally, if a student is a very poor reader they will fail the test, most other students pass--so I guess that means it is a good test. It is a very simple reading comprehension test. Because it is used as a high school exit exam--it might be worthwhile to think about if it is testing the skills a high school graduate should have. The results are returned at the end of the school year so they are not very useful for teaching the same students. The results are also organized by strand so it is hard to do an item-analysis to find out where the break-down in understanding might have happened for students.
Submitted by Annie in California on January 21, 2012
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