End-of-course biology exam may go, but tougher standards loom

Corrected version

As Washington schools begin integrating rigorous Common Core standards into their classrooms, the state Board of Education has made several decisions about new tests tied to those standards, and what will happen to existing state exams.

First: They want to abolish the current end-of-courseexam in biology, generally taken by 10thgraders.

The thinking here is that focusing on biology undermines broader coursework in science-technology-engineering-and-math (the so-called STEM courses). The board voted unanimously on this decision, but it requires approval from the state Legislature which is pretty busy with other things, like school funding. Sorry, Class of 2015, most likely youll still have to pass that test to graduate.

Looking ahead: Passing scores on the much-feared Smarter Balanced Assessment the new tests based on Common Core standards have been set.

But those exams, which will be given statewide for the first time this spring, wont affect graduationnot this year. The boardwill determine graduation cut-off scores in August, and those will affect the Class of 2019, this falls incoming ninth graders. Initially, the graduation bar will be lower than the passing score,giving teachers and students time to ramp up.

Though experts around the country have proffered various opinions aboutlinking Common Core exams to graduation, the boards two recent decisions signal what they want to see here: Exit exams should play a part in how the state defines a meaningful high school diploma, said Ben Rarick, executive director of the board. Pushing students to prove proficiency sends an important message of urgency.

(Running Start students and others in dual-enrollment programs have already demonstrated their ability to do college-level work and may be able to skip the tests, Rarick said.)

Despite the dry language, graduation requirements are a highly contentious issue.

In a video, the boards research director, Linda Drake, attempts to sketch out testing plans and acknowledgesWith all worthwhile change comes serious concerns.

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End-of-course biology exam may go, but tougher standards loom