Eye of the Tiger
Sophomores take exam next monthMonday, January 25, 2010 By Sydney Maynard
Roseville High School has been dedicating time and resources to prepare for the upcoming California High School Exit Exam that students will take next month. The CAHSEE is a high stakes test for both the students and the district. Failing the test can prevent a student from graduating. At the same time, the student body as a whole must meet federal standards to avoid further Program Improvement penalties. The test is divided into two sections: math and English. It will take place February 2-3 during second and third period. The English portion will be held on February 2 while the math section will be on the following day. “Math is based on seventh and eighth grade standards,” said assistant principal Jason Wilson. “It goes up to Algebra which is an eighth grade standard. English is based on grades eight and nine.” A student’s scores do not only reflect on themselves, but on the school as well. “The school is graded not on how many students pass, but how many kids score at the proficiency level,” said Ogness. “We haven’t quite met the proficient level yet. We were very close.” Students do not take the test until sophomore year and they can keep taking it until they pass. However, there are specific dates when the test can be given. Juniors and seniors who have not passed the test yet have already taken it this year, back in November. “75 percent of kids pass the first time, on average,” said math teacher Martha Ogness. A score of 350 is passing and a score of 380-384 is scoring in the proficient level. “We are on our third year [of] program improvement,” said Ogness. “If we don’t improve the way the state thinks we should, we would eventually be put on a state mandated program where someone comes in and runs us. They might eliminate electives and make kids take core classes.” In preparation for the test, students are given time to go on the CAHSEE Revolution web site. This program provides released questions and answers for the test as well as educational games that will prepare students for the upcoming exam. “I think kids are taking it more seriously than before because they thought [the exit exam] would go away, but it didn’t,” said Ogness. Ogness and Wilson believe that RHS scores will be as well or better than last year. “I think we’ll do much better in effort, in response to teachers’ knowledge and expectation of passing at a proficient level,” said Wilson. Sophomore Callum McHargue is not stressed out about the test. “I’m not really nervous about it,” said McHargue. “From what I’ve heard from my friends and stuff, it’s based on eighth grade education so it’s not that hard. When it does come I think I’ll do pretty well on it.” According to senior Victoria Casperson, the test was not very challenging. “I think it’s pretty easy,” said senior Victoria Casperson. “It’s not geometry or anything above Algebra 1.” |