2008 Woodie Awards
Valley Teams With LAUSD to Beat Exit Exam
LaGina Phillips
Issue date: 3/29/06 Section: News
Valley College and the Los Angeles Unified School District have teamed up to help students pass the California High School Exit Exam, creating The Bridge to College Program.
"Very few community colleges have concerned themselves with this group of students," said Valley's Vice President of Student Services Yasmin Delahoussaye.
The partnership is the first of its kind and offers students who failed the Exit Exam the opportunity to enroll in three courses - English, math and career planning - during Valley's second summer session in preparation to re-take the exam in the fall.
The exam, which the LAUSD started administering in the 2000-2001 school year, has proven to be a challenge for many students. Of the 400,000 students who took the exam last year 25 percent failed. This concern prompted teaching legend Jaime Escalante's recent visit to Valley to discuss alternative teaching methods to educators and community members.
"We're very concerned about student who didn't pass," said Delahoussaye. "We don't want these students to give up on an education."
In addition to the courses the program offers financial aid and counseling assistance to ease the students into college after they pass the exam.
"This program will help them graduate and also help them plan for the future," said Program Director Joyce Romero.
The exam tests tenth grade English skill and math through beginning algebra. Students must get 55 percent of the questions right to pass. High school students have four opportunities to pass the test, once in tenth grade, twice in eleventh and once in twelfth.
"The high school exit exam measures a minimum level of knowledge and skills that our students need to be successful in life after high school," State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell said in a March 17 statement backing the requirement.
Since the state started administering the exam in 2001, students from the 2006 graduating class who don't pass the exam are the first to not be allowed to receive a diploma or participate in graduation ceremonies.
Tens of thousands of students took the exam last week in what was their last chance for many of them hoping to pass in time for spring ceremonies. The test will be administered once again this month so students can at least get their diploma this year.
"Very few community colleges have concerned themselves with this group of students," said Valley's Vice President of Student Services Yasmin Delahoussaye.
The partnership is the first of its kind and offers students who failed the Exit Exam the opportunity to enroll in three courses - English, math and career planning - during Valley's second summer session in preparation to re-take the exam in the fall.
The exam, which the LAUSD started administering in the 2000-2001 school year, has proven to be a challenge for many students. Of the 400,000 students who took the exam last year 25 percent failed. This concern prompted teaching legend Jaime Escalante's recent visit to Valley to discuss alternative teaching methods to educators and community members.
"We're very concerned about student who didn't pass," said Delahoussaye. "We don't want these students to give up on an education."
In addition to the courses the program offers financial aid and counseling assistance to ease the students into college after they pass the exam.
"This program will help them graduate and also help them plan for the future," said Program Director Joyce Romero.
The exam tests tenth grade English skill and math through beginning algebra. Students must get 55 percent of the questions right to pass. High school students have four opportunities to pass the test, once in tenth grade, twice in eleventh and once in twelfth.
"The high school exit exam measures a minimum level of knowledge and skills that our students need to be successful in life after high school," State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell said in a March 17 statement backing the requirement.
Since the state started administering the exam in 2001, students from the 2006 graduating class who don't pass the exam are the first to not be allowed to receive a diploma or participate in graduation ceremonies.
Tens of thousands of students took the exam last week in what was their last chance for many of them hoping to pass in time for spring ceremonies. The test will be administered once again this month so students can at least get their diploma this year.
