Kudos for the Philadelphia Inquirer endorsing PA Board's plan to require exit exams for high school students...

Editorial: State High Schools
Graduating failure

The numbers are staggering.
More than 56,000 Pennsylvania high school seniors graduated with "empty diplomas" in 2006 because they failed state math and reading tests. They were given diplomas, in some cases, for just showing up. They left high school without mastering the basic skills to get a job or enter college.

That has prompted state Education Secretary Gerald Zahorchak to push for tougher new regulations requiring students to pass at least six tests in English, math, science and social studies. This is a smart step.

Instead of a comprehensive test on everything learned over several years, students would be tested at the end of a course, similar to a final exam. For example, a student could take the Algebra I test as a freshman.

The plan would give teachers an annual snapshot of a student's progress. Those who fail could get tutoring and a second chance.

That approach makes sense and would put Pennsylvania in the vanguard with a number of states that have seen improvement after making the switch. However, the new regulations wouldn't take effect until 2014, after this year's sixth graders finish high school...

Critics say the new regulations would hurt students in underfunded districts and could actually increase the dropout rate. That's a legitimate concern. But that's a funding and support issue, not a testing issue...

Read the rest here...

http://www.philly.com/inquirer/opinion/20080203_Editorial__State_High_Sc...