Commenters on the AJC Get schooled blog debated a bill that would retroactively exempt students from having to pass the Georgia High School Graduation Test, a hurdle that has kept 8,000 Georgians from earning a diploma. The test has been replaced, and lawmakers contend it is not fair to hold kids accountable for a discarded test. Here is a sampling of reader response:
TeacherMom: I have a former student who was unable to pass the graduation writing test. His disability is written expression, and it is significant. For several years after graduation, he returned for all writing test reviews. He worked hard to pass the test. A couple of times, he came within two points of passing. This past year, he stopped showing up for the reviews. He works in a local business. He is a good employee but continues to live at home. His wages will not support him on his own. He wants to attend a local technical school, but that is on hold for now. In my high school, the majority of former students who would benefit from this bill are learning-disabled. I hope the bill passes.
Gat: If a student is learning-disabled, provide a test consistent with their disability that measures their learning, instead of using the same one for general education; or, graduate the student with a diploma that is tiered for the learning-disabled.
Queen: I pray they grant diplomas to belated students because I am one of many who did not pass one portion of the test by one point. I graduated in 2001 and have taken the test many times. I am a wife and a mother of a 7-year-old son. I am now 31 and have struggled without my diploma. I've always been great with the curriculum and maintained a "B" average. It is not true the people who are not passing this test cannot read.
Newsphile: I could support granting diplomas to former students who pass the tests required of current high school graduates. This would eliminate the graduation test requirement. I can't support granting belated diplomas to the masses with no additional testing. Grades are too subjective. We have heard from a couple of parents of students who are exceptions among the 8,000 students. I'm thinking of the majority of these students who can't read, write, add and subtract. Do we want the diploma to be worth less than the paper on which it's printed?
Living: There is a moral hazard with this type of assessment. What happens to the student who carries a 3.0 GPA or higher but is not a good test taker? Should he or she be penalized? I don't think so, unless there is substantial evidence the student was socially promoted and not deserving the grades he or she received. I think that is very unlikely.
Lynn: There are certainly very smart students who are not very good "test takers" for many reasons. This test was nothing but a political ploy. I'm glad it doesn't exist anymore.
Antagonist: Tests should be appropriate for the student. This needs to be revisited. However, the testing should be appropriate, the outcome should be honest, and the consequence should be true. Just what do we want a high school diploma to represent?
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