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High Stakes High School Exit Exam
High school seniors who still haven't passed the California High School Exit Exam have just a few more
chances to do so. For the first time since lawmakers established the exam six years ago, the big test
really counts this year.
Overview: The Debate Over the Exam
Tue, Feb 7, 2006 - 6:50 and 8:50am
 Listen
Kathryn Baron looks at the debate over the exam, and the thousands of seniors who may be denied a
diploma if they can't pass the test.
A Case Study: McLane High School in Fresno
Wed, Feb 8, 2006 - 6:50 and 8:50am
Listen
Sasha Khokha visits a high school in Fresno, where one in four seniors have yet to pass the test.
Many of them are immigrants from Latin America and Southeast Asia.
For More Information:
• High School Exit Examination page from the California Department of Education
• Center on Education Policy report: "High School Exit Exams: States Try Harder But Gaps Persist" (PDF file)
• independent evaluation of the California High School Exit Exam by the Human Resources Research Organization
• Stanford University report: "Multiple Measures Approaches to High School Graduation" (PDF file)
Sample Test Questions
Here is a sampling of questions from previous versions of the California High School Exit Examination.
Math:
1) A CD player regularly sells for $80. It is on sale for 20% off. What is the sale price of
the CD player?
a. $16
b. $60
c. $64
d. $96
2) Which of the following numerical expressions results in a negative number?
a. (-7) + (-3)
b. (-3) + (7)
c. (3) + (7)
d. (3) + (-7) + (11)
3) Three-fourths of the 36 members of a club attended a meeting. Ten of those attending the meeting
were female. Which one of the following questions can be answered with the information given?
a. How many males are in the club?
b. How many females are in the club?
c. How many male members of the club attended the meeting?
d. How many female members of the club did not attend the meeting?
4) If n = 2 and x = 1/2, then n(4 - x) =
a. 1
b. 3
c. 7
d. 10
English Language Arts:
Students read a brief article describing some of the positive features of California, then were asked
the following questions:
5) What does the word "eccentricities" mean in the following sentence? "The state's wealth is only
increased by its eccentricities and its magic."
a. unusual characteristics
b. large population
c. diverse climate
d. famous beauty
6) Which of the following lines from the article BEST supports its theme?
a. "Fragrant, fruit-scented breezes waft through valleys full of orange groves."
b. "The state's wealth is only increased by its eccentricities and its magic."
c. "You don't have to travel to many other states to realize that California is a world unto itself."
d. "California's population is as diverse as its geography."
7) Which of the following strategies does the author use MOST frequently to describe California?
a. imagery
b. statistics
c. expert opinion
d. historical fact
Answers: 1) C; 2) A; 3) C; 4) C; 5) A; 6) C; 7) A
Source: California Department of Education
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