School Chief response to new study on CAHSEE

 State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell today issued the following statement in response to the release of a new study: "Effects of the California High School Exit Exam on Student Persistence, Achievement, and Graduation" by the Institute for Research on Education Policy & Practice at Stanford University.

            "I appreciate the efforts of the research team from Stanford, and I applaud the James Irvine Foundation for supporting this and other important education research aimed at improving public education in California. Closing the achievement gap is a social, economic, and moral imperative, and is the top priority of my administration. The findings of this study deserve careful review, as does the ongoing analysis of the Exit Exam conducted by the Human Resources Research Organization (HumRRO).

            "I continue to believe that the Exit Exam plays an important role in our work to ensure that a high school diploma has meaning. Passing the exam signifies that a student has critical basic skills that will help them survive in the competitive global economy. I'm indeed pleased that the report supported the technical quality of the exam and found no test bias. I agree with the report's recommendations that we need to provide additional instruction to struggling students and explore new ways to improve education and hold high schools accountable for the academic achievement of all students. 

            "The heart of this report speaks to why I've called out California's racial achievement gap and why I am so committed to implementing the14 recommendations made by my P-16 Council aimed at closing these gaps. The recommendations include the creation of a statewide strand of culturally relevant pedagogy and a culture survey of our students and education staff to discuss and address issues of unconscious racial bias in our schools.

            "I believe that the biggest mistake we could make is to view this report as a reason to lower our expectations for any student, but especially for our students of color and females. While reports like this call for us to redouble our efforts to improve instruction and effective interventions, I remain wholly committed to maintaining a high standard of expectations for all students. As a result, I have asked my staff and HumRRO, the CAHSEE evaluator, to conduct further review of the study so we can look for ways to better meet the educational needs of all students and help them succeed in school, on the CAHSEE, and in life."