Summary: Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland has proposed the elimination of the Ohio Graduation Test in favor of a multiple-measure assessment system that would include the ACT college-entrance exam, end-of-course exams, and a senior portfolio or project. Many states have moved to similar systems that use end-of-course exams as a way to determine high school course credit and graduation. These tests allow teachers to evaluate mastery and student progress in addition to spotting weaknesses in the curriculum itself. While evidence supports the investment in this program, more research will need to be done related to its implementation.
Education Commision of the States comprehensive resource - Assessment
Issues include: college entrance exams, computer-based, high stakes/competency, NEAP, and reliability/validity
State High School Exit Exams: Moving Toward End-of-Course Exams by Dalia Zabala, Dr. Angela Minnici, Jennifer McMurrer, Liza Briggs. This report examines the new developments in the implementation of state high school exit exams in the 26 states that currently implement or plan to implement these tests. The report specifically focuses on the states' move away from minimum-competency and comprehensive exams toward end-of-course exams.
Defining Rigorous Content for ACT's QualityCore End-of-Course Examinations End-of-course examinations are only as good as the assumptions used in designing them. What is a course's "essential" content? And what does it mean to master it?
What We Know about College Success: Using ACT Data to Inform Educational Issues
If students are ready for college, dropout rates and the costs of remediation are reduced and more students persist in and graduate from college. ACT research related to college readiness and college success is rich and extensive and offers insights about the impact of readiness on college success.
"Improving the Quality of a High-School Education Using End of Course Exams to Measure Student Performance"
US News & World Report, "End of Course Exams Catching On"
Pros and Cons of Public School Exit Exams from Public School Review
American Diploma Project Algebra II End of Course Exam: 2008 Annual Report