Second, will these tests, as configured, increase the achievement of our students? How valid are the tests if they can be easily manipulated by the state? The state board and others have raised questions about the rationale and rigor of the hastily established Bridge Plan that offers completing senior projects as an alternative to passing the HSA, and other testing alternatives.
Third, what are the unintended consequences of the HSA? Are these tests limiting or "dumbing down" the curriculum in the courses tested? Are high schools delaying courses that were intended to be ninth- and 10th-grade courses until 11th and 12th grades in order to improve the HSA pass rate? Are the HSAs also crowding out electives such as career and technology education coursework?
Fourth, what is the precise annual cost of these tests to the state and to individual school districts? What is the cost to school districts of remediation for students who fail to pass one or more of the tests?
Finally, how will the proposed graduation requirement affect the high school completion and dropout rate? In a recent study of state high school exit exams (1971-2004), Eric S. Grodsky, John Robert Warren and Demetra Kalogrides found that they lowered graduation rates yet had no discernible impact upon reading or math achievement.
All of these questions become particularly difficult to answer when the state has yet to release last spring's HSA data that will determine the status of current 12th-grade students.
I urge the board at its Oct. 28 meeting to hear testimony from the public before discussing the HSA. I also recommend that the board consider alternatives, including keeping the High School Assessment in place as a school accountability mechanism but limiting the consequences for students. It is possible to hold students accountable, for example, by including the HSA score as a portion of the course grade.
At the least, I urge the board to seek answers to these questions and inform the public, even if it means delaying the graduation requirement.
Robert C. Embry Jr. is president of the Abell Foundation and former president of the Maryland State Board of Education. His e-mail is
embry@abell.org.
