Human Resources Research Organization (HumRRO)

66 Canal Center Plaza, Suite 700 Alexandria, Virginia 22314-1578 | Phone: 703.549.3611 | Fax: 703.549.9661 | www.humrro.org66 Canal Center Plaza, Suite 700 Alexandria, Virginia 22314-1578 | Phone: 703.549.3611 | Fax: 703.549.9661 | www.humrro.org

New Visions for High School Graduation Requirements in the Context of

Next Generation Assessment

Presented at:

2014 CCSSO National Conference on Student Assessment, June 25, 2014New Orleans, Louisiana

Moderator: Michele Mandeville Hardoin, HumRRO

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New Visions for Graduation Requirements

● Session Goal: Present and discuss considerations, challenges, and decision-making processes used by state departments of education to re-evaluate high school graduation requirements and the content of high stakes exit exams.

● Questions posed to panelists: In the context of the shift to College and Career Readiness Standards and the plans of the two assessment consortia, how is your state…– deciding whether to retain, revise, or replace its current exit exam? – arriving at a current definition of performance expectations for high school

graduates? – handling transitions to new graduation requirements? – defining and measuring “success” of the exit exam program?

● Had to amend original plan (include perspectives of a Smarter Balanced state, a PARCC state, and a state that has not joined either consortium).

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Background: State High School Exit Exam Reports

● Center on Education Policy (CEP) Annual Reports – Nonpartisan, objective reporting; no special interests

and no advocacy agenda– 11 annual reports from 2002 through 2012– Source of information for state policy makers– Updated profiles from state education department

personnel regarding: • State exit exam purpose and policies• Test type and subjects• Cut score considerations • Alternate paths and eligibility criteria• Future plans

– Special surveys

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Source: Center on Education Policy, State High School Exit Exams: A Policy in Transition, September 2012

Note. States depicted in white have no exit exam and no plans to implement one.

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2012 CEP Annual Report: A Policy in Transition

● Some key findings from updated state profiles– High school exit exams affect nearly 7 out of 10 public school students in the US– 25 states had exit exams in 2011-12, 4 states phasing them out– First attempt pass rates typically 70% – 90%

● Special survey findings– Changing purpose: moving toward ensuring College- and Career- Readiness– Changing assessments: moving toward assessments that are aligned to

updated (and more rigorous) standards– Holding pattern: delaying making policy changes (waiting for new exit exams

aligned with CCSS, allowing time for instruction to prepare students to meet new standards)

● Suggestion to learn from past experience– Prior challenges: opposition from key education stakeholders, political

disagreements or changes in state leadership, legal battles, low student passing rates, and high costs

– “Successful implementation of a new exit exam policy or changes to an existing policy often depend on states’ willingness to take certain actions.”

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Background: HumRRO Independent Evaluation

● Conducted independent research activities that may help inform policy decisions about the California High School Exit Examination (CAHSEE) – Review of test quality– Trends in passing rates by subject and demographic group– Student questionnaires to gauge preparation for and impact of the exam– Special studies

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Panelist Introductions

● John Boivin – Research and Evaluation Administrator in the Assessment Development and Administration Division at the California Department of Education

● Shelley Loving-Ryder – Assessment Director at the Virginia Department of Education

● Dr. Laurie Wise – HumRRO, Principal Investigator, Program Manager for the independent evaluation of the California High School Exit Examination (2000−2010)

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HumRRO Contact Information

Human Resources Research Organization (HumRRO)20 Ragsdale Drive, Suite 260

Monterey, CA 93940

66 Canal Center Plaza, Suite 700

Alexandria, Virginia 22314-1578

https://www.humrro.org/corpsite/

Michele Mandeville Hardoin

Educational Policy Impact Center

office: 831.375.5335 | mhardoin@humrro.org

Lauress (Laurie) L. WiseEducational Policy Impact Center

office: 831.647.1004 | lwise@humrro.org