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Friday, January 6, 2012

This Week In Education: Thompson: The Benefits and Costs of Graduation Exams

This Week In Education: Thompson: The Benefits and Costs of Graduation Exams:

Thompson: The Benefits and Costs of Graduation Exams

DropoutsAfter reading Sarah Butrymowicz's Hechinger Ed analysis of Oklahoma’s new graduation law, I remain agnostic on whether students should be required to pass four End of Instruction tests to earn a diploma. About 16% of the state’s seniors began the year needing to pass one or more of their exit examinations. A law has been filed to delay the graduation requirement because the lack of a degree, for instance, would exclude young people from joining the military. Butrymowicz notes, however, that nearly a quarter of applicants also fail their armed forces entry exam, thus