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High School Graduation Test Now Under Development

The Department of Public Instruction and an advisory committee are in the midst of developing the high school graduation test required by a new state law.

The state budget adopted last year requires every public high school student to pass a graduation test in order to receive a diploma.

The test, which does not apply to students attending home schools, private schools, or to participants in the Milwaukee voucher program, will first be administered in the 2000-2001 school year but will not be required for graduation that school year. The test will be required for students who graduate in the 2002-2003 school year.

DPI’s new budget proposal asks for $10 million and seven new positions to develop and administer the test over the next two years, along with 4th and 8th grade tests.

“Many questions remain to be answered, and many issues must be resolved,” WEAC Instruction and Professional Development Consultant Russ Allen said. “High stakes testing is very popular with the public, but the education community needs to study the decisions and be prepared for major changes in the way they teach.”

Allen, who is a member of the High School Graduation Test Advisory Committee, said issues that must be addressed include an opt-out provision for parents, how to align the tests with academic standards, the danger of narrowing the curriculum, and the nature of the passing standard.

“The test will be aligned with the new academic standards,” said WEAC Secretary-Treasurer Margaret

Guertler, who is a member of an advisory committee work team that will make recommendations to the state superintendent. “Teachers may need to change the way they teach some things.” Guertler said the test will be especially challenging for teachers of students with special needs.

“EEN students will also take the test, so teachers will need to find ways to help those students succeed.”

Both DPI and WEAC will publish documents later this fall explaining the test and the content that will be measured on the test.

Posted October 9, 1998