Tim,
If the judge is right, and many kids did not have an equal opportunity to learn the material, should they be punished for it? Or, should we make sure all kids have equal access and then hold them to task? Should parents be held accountable, or only the kids and the schools?

It’s interesting to note that O'Connell will ask the court to find that Freedman's order was “issued improperly”. Apparently O’Connell realizes he cannot successfully argue the merits of the case -- that not all students had an equal opportunity to learn the material on the test. O’Connell should be prepared to be sent packing by the Supreme Court.

Let's look at the facts...

- The passing score required for the math portion of the exit exam is just 55%

- The passing score required for the English-Language Arts section is just 60%

- Students have SEVEN opportunities to pass this exam, with only the parts not passed required to be taken again

- The English-Language Arts part of the test is at grade 10 level and consists of multiple choice questions and writing tasks.

- The mathematics part of the test is at grades 6 and 7 level as well as Algebra I.

- The school systems have had seven years to raise standards and prepare students to pass this test

- Combined school funding from all sources in the upcoming school year for California will surpass $11,000 per student. That means that our public schools systems will spend approximately $330,000 annually to teach a classroom of 30 students.

What we are really talking about is a graduation requirement that mandates that students pass a 10th grade level english and middle school level math test with scores that are equivalent to a high F.

So what is the alternative? The easy remedy is to lower standards to the point that everyone will pass, essentially meaning that we will have no standards at all.

Given that 10% of students are still failing one or more sections of this test illustrates that there is something fundamentally wrong in our school systems. Setting aside for a moment the issue of parental involvement and other social isses that impact learning, the very fact that these students have passed enough courses to receive a high school diploma is alarming. The fact that 10% of our graduating seniors cannot manage to get a D minus on a middle school level test shows that social promotion is rampant and out of control in our schools. The real question to be asked is how these kids have been passing all these classes while not even having the most basic english and math skills necessary to have even made it to the 12th grade.

The significant number of failing students shows two problems with our education system. First - how do these kids pass the classes and yet fail the test? Is it massive grade creep? Or peer and parent pressure? A desire to simply get rid of a trouble maker? All these are indicative of a systemic problem in the education managment that allows these kids to skate through. Handling tough kids is hard, but we have to do it.

Second, making these kids study is hard. They generally have little motivation, come to school to socialize and are not willing to take advantage of the help that we provide. We are trying to make the 8th graders pass their classes and it is an eye opener into the problems. We need more teeth in our rules. Parents have to make their kids participate, or be held liable for child abuse and sent to jail! Maybe that would wake 'em up.

The exit exam, just like the STAR scores and AYP, shows us the problems. The schools alone can't fix it without help. It would be nice if the legislature gave us that help.

I agree that something needs to be done, and it involves the schools, parents, teachers, and legislators. Everybody has a role and responsibility in this.

Eliminating the test is not the answer. The only thing the test does is expose the problem. Getting rid of the test or dumbing it down until everyone passes serves no purpose other than to shortchange our children. It is easy to hide behind arguments of alleged unfairness or discrimination. It is much harder to stand up and do something to fix problems and demand accountability. I hear a lot of excuses from those opposed to standardized testing but not a lot of solutions being offered. Anyone who is against standardized testing needs to stand up with specifics about alternatives. And those alternatives need to be something that actually improves learning and student performance instead of simply covering up the problem.