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Calif. Budget Woes Imperil High School Exit Exams

By Catherine Gewertz — June 19, 2009 1 min read
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Lots of people debate the merits of high school exit exams. But usually it’s about whether they push kids out of school, or whether the exams are a true measure of what students need to know to thrive in college or work. Not so in California at the moment.

Right now, the talk about exit exams in the Golden State is all about money. The state’s fiscal nightmare has prompted Democrats in the legislature to propose dumping, at least temporarily, the exit exam students have had to pass to earn their diplomas. The idea made it out of committee, but not yet to the floor. It will be interesting to see if money trumps substantive debate about what best serves students.

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A version of this news article first appeared in the High School Connections blog.