Advocates say exit exams will motivate students and teachers to reach higher standards, therefore improving student achievement. Critics contend, however, that exit exams have no educational value and do not answer the question of how to best measure student learning. Furthermore, they argue that these high stakes tests will lead to higher dropout rates and do not ensure that students have an opportunity to learn the material being tested (Hicks 1-2). Graduation decisions should be based on many

Lawmakers hope to improve student performance with these tests, but education researchers said they fear it may lead to higher dropout rates (Workforce Preparation 3). “As states institute rigorous exit exams, we all hope they will lead to increased student achievement,” said Jack Jennings, director of the Center on Education Policy, a nonprofit public education advocacy organization in Washington, DC. “But there is also a risk that they will lead to more student dropouts” (qtd. in Fletcher, par.4). Critics of exit exams contended that these tests increase dropout rates by frustrating low achieving students who initially fail the exam, or who anticipate failing. “With almost 90% of disabled students unable to pass a state mandated exit exam, California special education students may drop rather than face constant failure,” warns Wolinsky (qtd. in Hicks, par.1)

High stakes testing has taken over school reform efforts in many states, including California. Is an approach to school improvement that lacks evidence of success and has many well-documented harmful consequences, from damaging the lives of individuals, to increasing dropout rates. If state leaders really expect exit exam policies to improve teaching and learning, then they must assume much more responsibility for guaranteeing opportunity to learn. “We know that in our classrooms, our kids aren't fully prepared for this test yet,” said Assemblywoman Virginia Storm-Martin who chairs the legislators Education Committee. “It's silly to set the kids up for failure” (qtd. in Sandham, par.2). No single test score can be con

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