COMMON CORE CASUALTY: California's high school exit exam could be replaced by Smarter Balanced assessments, according to the state's Superintendent of Public Instruction, Tom Torlakson. The Sacramento Bee reported Torlakson hinted at the possibility of "embedding" the California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE), proficiency tests in math and English that students must pass to graduate from high school, into the new Smarter Balanced assessments. CAHSEE costs the state an estimated $73.5 million a year.
However, this could mean that high schoolers will have a harder time graduating. CAHSEE's math and English questions are set to 8th grade and 10th grade standards, respectively. Smarter Balanced promises to be more rigorous. California will begin testing the new assessments this spring before any final decision is made.
