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Graduation Test

"This test feels like a dead end for lots of students."

Listen to this Commentary!

By DeSean Robinson-Walker

I’ve always been bad in math, and as I get older it seems I get worse. So whenever I hear about really important tests, like the High School Exit Exam, all I can think about is the dreaded math section.

In California, if you don’t pass the High School Exit Exam by senior year, you won’t graduate high school. I’m in the first class to have to pass it — we call ourselves the “test dummies.” And we’re scared. It’s like walking into a building blind. You don’t know where you’re going, and the teachers don’t seem to know what to teach you. Lots of them tell me they don’t even know what’s on the test. And if they do, they act like they can’t say.

The thing is, in general, I have a fine GPA. And I aced the English section of the High School Exit Exam way back in freshman year. It was pretty easy for me — interpreting written passages, spelling, basic definitions…I had covered this kind of stuff in gifted classes I took during summers in elementary school. But when I saw those geometry questions, I panicked.

I know they’re trying to help by getting us used to the test before we have all the skills. But you can imagine what it was like for me, taking this test sophomore year, when I hadn’t even studied geometry yet. I’m looking like Scooby Doo, all confused and discombobulated.

My school does offer extra math support, but my classes always conflict with the tutoring schedule. This test feels like a dead end for lots of students. And some of them would rather skip it than fail, so they don’t even show up. That means they only a get a certificate of attendance at graduation, and no diploma.

My question is, why have a statewide test when everyone is learning something different, depending on your school or your district? If you’re going to have a test like this, start teaching the basics in junior high. Don’t weed out the kids, try to help us. And don’t give us an exit exam that feels like it’s made to break students.