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What Works in Public Education

The Edutopia Poll

by Sara Bernard

As another academic year draws to a close, school officials and policy makers ponder the effectiveness of high school exit exams. In Texas, legislators have proposed a revised testing system, in which students would take subject-specific exams at the end of each course rather than cumulative exams at the end of their high school career.

Proponents suggest that this is better for both students and teachers: Material on the course-specific test will be fresher in students’ minds, they argue, and teachers will be better able to tailor test preparation to current class curriculum. Others say Texas’s proposal simply increases the number of tests and does little to combat the overwhelming culture of testing in public schools. What do you think?

Are course-specific exit exams better for students and teachers than cumulative exit exams?

Yes. The proposed testing revision in Texas makes sense. By assigning course-specific exams, teachers can delve more deeply into their own subject matter to help prepare students for the test, and the material on the test is more relevant for students.

No. Cumulative exit exams are preferable; students should be able to do well on these exams, as many of them test basic material every high school graduate should know.

No. Course-specific exams are likely to increase the number of exams students take and don’t necessarily address the deeper problems associated with high-stakes testing in general.

None of the above.