ELC to NJ State Board of Education: Eliminate High School Exit Exam or At Very Least Increase Equity

Continuing a yearslong effort to rid New Jersey of a high school exit exam, Education Law Center testified during the March meeting of the State Board of Education about issues in the state’s Standards and Assessment code, which is up for readoption. 

ELC’s testimony emphasized that New Jersey is one of just six states that still requires high school exit testing as a graduation requirement, despite the absence of a federal mandate and extensive research showing these assessments do not improve academic achievement or economic outcomes for graduates.

“Exit testing costs the state millions of dollars each year,” said Nicole Ciullo, Associate Director of Policy & Development at ELC, who delivered the testimony. “These funds would be better spent on programs and services that have been shown to improve student achievement, rather than on tests that offer no benefit to the students who pass them and impose significant harm on those who do not.” 

ELC’s testimony stressed the need to eliminate exit testing for a high school diploma, but also noted that if the practice continues, the proposed regulations must, at minimum, incorporate the following changes to ensure equity and transparency:  

• Require annual statewide reports on the number of students denied graduation, including the number denied solely because of the failure to meet the exit testing requirement; 
• Ensure free access to one or more fee-based, “substitute competency exams,” such as the SAT or ACT, that can be used to meet the graduation requirement; 
• Prohibit students with disabilities from being subjected to repeated administrations of exit tests in violation of their IEPs or Section 504 plans; 
• Phase in any new graduation standards with the incoming 9^th grade class to prevent changes in requirements for students already in high school; 
• Require participating schools to select Option 8 whenever the Armed Services Battery-Armed Forces Qualifying Test is used for exit testing to prevent the release of student information for military recruiting purposes. 

“These changes are necessary to ensure fair and transparent policies that protect students’ personal information and provide us with an accurate understanding of the impact of exit testing on New Jersey students,” Ms. Ciullo said. 

ELC also urged the State Board to endorse pending legislation, A4121/S1562, that would eliminate the high school exit testing requirement. 

Related Stories:

MORE STATES REJECT EXIT EXAMS, WILL NEW JERSEY FOLLOW?

EXIT TESTING IS LOWERING NJ’S GRADUATION RATE

ELC URGES NJ TO ADDRESS NEGATIVE IMPACTS OF HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION “EXIT TEST” REQUIREMENT

Press Contact:
Sharon Krengel
Director of Policy, Strategic Partnerships and Communications
skrengel@edlawcenter.org
973-624-1815, x240