Commentary:With a $4 billion deficit do we need 10 Keystone Exams?/RockTheCapitol:Gearing up to sell Pennsylvania's Scholarship Act

The most recent review of 46 studies on exit exams by the University of Texas concluded that high school exit exams do not lead to more college attendance, increased student learning or higher employment.

In fact, researchers have yet to discover any benefits of having a high school exit exam.

 

While educators are telling me that the English, Algebra and Biology Keystone Exams will provide educational value for our students when they (hopefully) replace the PSSA’s, they are not so quick to endorse rolling out the other 7 Keystones that are slated for development.  With the state facing a $4 billion deficit perhaps it is time to revisit spending all $201 million allocated for the development of 10 Keystone Exams.

 

Review of Educational Research December 2010

Assessing the Effects of High School Exit Examinations

By Jennifer Jellison Holme, Meredith P. Richards, Jo Beth Jimerson and Rebecca W. Cohen of The University of Texas at Austin

The authors systematically review 46 unique studies that pertain to four domains of expected influence: student achievement, graduation, postsecondary outcomes, and school response.

The evidence reviewed indicates that exit tests have produced few of the expected benefits and have been associated with costs for the most disadvantaged students.

http://rer.sagepub.com/content/80/4/476.abstract

Anthony Cody on the Washington Post Answer Sheet Blog

Posted at 5:00 AM ET, 01/13/2011

Are more high-stakes tests inevitable? A teacher says 'no'

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/answer-sheet/anthony-cody/are-more-high-stakes-tests-ine.html?wprss=answer-sheet

RockTheCapitol.com

Gearing up to sell Pennsylvania’s Scholarship Act

Posted by By Jan Chaplick at 12 January, at 08 :32 AM

New opportunity scholarships for needy public school children and an increase in the current Educational Improvement Tax Credit Program are elements of two state senators’ plans for educational choice in Pennsylvania.

http://www.rockthecapital.com/01/12/scholarship-act/