CAHSEE California High School Exit Exam

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CAHSEECalifornia High School Exit Exam
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OVERVIEW

• Purpose of the CAHSEE
• Background
• Contents of the CAHSEE
• School Accountability
• Lawsuits against the CAHSEE and 2006 disability
  waiver
• Options for students who do not pass the CAHSEE
• CAHSEE Survey distributed to faculty at South El
  Monte High School
• Demographics of SEMHS
• Survey results
• Pros and Cons of the CAHSEE
• Recommendations regarding the future of the
  CAHSEE

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Background of the CAHSEE

• Local proficiency standards were below high
  school level and did not correlate with state
  standards.
• Legislature wanted to set higher standards for
  high school graduation and proposed the CAHSEE.
• Primary goal was to ensure that pupils who
  graduate from high school can demonstrate grade
  level competency in reading, writing, and
  mathematics.
• State Superintendent of Public Instruction
  appointed members to the High School Exit
  Examination Panel. The CAHSEE was developed
  based upon recommendations by the panel.
• 1999 CAHSEE state law enacted
• (California Department of Education)

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Purpose of the CAHSEE

• Improve public high school student achievement
• Show students can demonstrate grade level
  competency in reading, writing, and math.
• Identify students who are not demonstrating grade
  level competency skills.
• Districts are encouraged by CAHSEE results to
  provide additional attention and resources to
  students who are not acquiring grade level
  skills.
• Students must pass the CAHSEE and meet respective
  district requirements to be eligible for high
  school graduation.
• (California Department of Education 2006)

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Contents of CAHSEE2 parts

• English Language Arts
• State content standards through grade 10.
• Reading portion contains vocabulary, decoding,
  comprehension, and analysis of literary
  information in texts.
• Writing Portion contains writing strategies,
  applications and grammar, spelling, and
  punctuation.

• Mathematics
• State Standards grades 6, 7, and Algebra 1.
• Math portion includes statistics, data analysis,
  number sense, measurement and geometry,
  reasoning, and algebra.
• Students must also be able to demonstrate a
  foundation in computation and arithmetic.

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Test VariationsStudents are allowed to take the
CAHSEE with any accommodations and modifications
specified in IEP or 504 Plan

• ACCOMMODATIONS
• Definition A variation in the environment that
  does not alter what the exam measures.
• Examples Braille, math portion read to student.
• If a student uses an accommodation, a standard
  passing score of 350 or above is a PASS.
• English learners are required to take the exam,
  but may utilize a flexible setting or extra time.
  Students may hear the test directions in their
  primary language.

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Test Variations (Continued)

• MODIFICATIONS
• Definition A variation in the environment that
  alters what the exam measures.
• Examples Use of calculator on math portion, ELA
  portion read to student.
• If a student uses a modification, and earns a
  standard passing score of 350, the student has
  not passed but can request a waiver of the
  requirement.
• Because a modification alters the test the test
  is marked NOT VALID.
• (California Department of Education 2004)

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If at first you do not succeed, try, try again

• Students take the CAHSEE for the first time in
  the spring of 10th grade.
• A student has five more times to take the exam.
• Seniors may take the exam a seventh time in the
  spring of 12th grade, but results will not be
  posted in time for graduation.

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School Accountability

• The CAHSEE is used for school and district
  accountability
• The CAHSEE is used for State and Federal
  accountability
• API
• AYP

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Lawsuits against the CAHSEE

• Disabilities
• Other Graduation Requirements Met
• Appropriate Alternatives

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Options for students who do not pass the CAHSEE

1. Remedial supplemental instruction.
2. Additional year(s) in high school or alternative
   education program.
3. Independent Study
4. Adult School, Secondary Education
5. Pass CA High School Proficiency Exam. Must be 16
   years or over to obtain diploma equivalent.
6. Pass GED 18 years or older.

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Pros of CAHSEE

• Standardized Test
• Sets a Standard
• New Test
• Ensures Basic Learning Skills are Learned

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Cons of CAHSEE

• Multiculturally Biased
• Disabilities/Time Limit
• Overcrowded Classrooms
• Teaching to the Test
• Added Stress Pressure

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CAHSEE Survey

• 10 Questions
• Distributed to all faculty members at South El
  Monte High School in South El Monte, CA.
• 80 surveys distributed
• 30 replies received
• 38 survey return rate

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Demographics of SEMHS

• 1400 Students
• 93 Hispanic or Latino
• 5 Asian
• 2 Other
• 87 Socioeconomically disadvantaged
• 80 Students participate in free or reduced lunch
• Parent education level using a scale of 1-5,
  where 1 represents not a high school graduate ,
  and 5 represents graduate school 1.78

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CAHSEE Survey
For each item below, please indicate your answer
using a scale of 1-5, with the answer of 1
meaning Strongly Agree, and 5 meaning Strongly
Disagree. Strongly Agree 1 2 3
4 5 Strongly Disagree 1. The CAHSEE
is a valid measure of student knowledge.
______ 2. The CASHEE connects well with the
classroom curriculum. ______ 3. The CASHEE
connects well with the CA Standards. ______ 4.
The CASHEE is accessible to all students.
______ 5. The CASHEE is culturally biased.
______ 6. The CASHEE builds self-esteem.
______ 7. The CASHEE is an appropriate measure
of teacher value. ______ 8. The CASHEE forces
the teacher to teach to the test. ______ 9.
The CASHEE is an effective tool to measure the
knowledge of Special Education students.
______ 10. The CASHEE should be the determinate
factor for graduating students from high school.
_____
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SURVEY RESULTS

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Survey Results ITEM1 The CAHSEE is a valid
measure of student knowledge.
MEAN 3.1333 MEDIAN 3.0 MODE 4.0
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ITEM 2 The CASHEE connects well with the
classroom curriculum.
MEAN 3.0 MEDIAN 3.0 MODE 3.00
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ITEM 3 The CASHEE connects well with the CA
Standards.
MEAN 2.7333 MEDIAN 3.0 MODE 4.0
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ITEM 4 The CASHEE is accessible to all students.
MEAN 3.4 MEDIAN 4.0 MODE 5.0
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ITEM 5 The CASHEE is culturally biased.
MEAN 3.3793 MEDIAN 3.0 MODE 5.00
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ITEM 6 The CASHEE builds self-esteem.
MEAN 3.5517 MEDIAN 3.0 MODE 5.0
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ITEM 7 The CASHEE is an appropriate measure of
teacher value.
MEAN 3.6071 MEDIAN 4.0 MODE 5.00
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ITEM 8 The CASHEE forces the teacher to teach
to the test.
MEAN 2.5333 MEDIAN 3.0 MODE 1.0
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ITEM 9 The CASHEE is an effective tool to
measure the knowledge of Special Education
students.

MEAN 3.3667 MEDIAN 4.0 MODE 5.00
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ITEM 10The CASHEE should be the determinate
factor for graduating students from high school.
MEAN 3.2333 MEDIAN 3.0 MODE 3.0
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CONCLUSIONS

• The results of the survey indicate that there are
  many strong opinions against the CAHSEE.
• 7 out of 10 questions yielded a larger number of
  responses (mode) of negativity toward the CAHSEE.
• When responses are averaged however, the survey
  results show that the opinions of the CAHSEE are
  indifferent, with majority averages being a 3.
  Respondents neither agree, nor disagree.
• The average response of a 3 also shows that
  people do not have enough information about the
  CAHSEE to make an absolute decision. The test is
  new and therefore teachers do not have enough
  practical experience with the test.

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FUTURE RECOMMENDATIONS

• Revamp the test.
• Consider options for students with disabilities
  and for English Learners.
• Not an end all solution right now.
• Monitor individual student progress.

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REFERENCES

• California Department of Education
• www.cde.ca.gov