Bill gives borderline pupils bid at diploma

CARSON CITY -- Liberty High School senior Spencer Hill-Hale dreams of playing college football this fall, but he needed to make the equivalent of a Hail Mary pass to graduate in June.

He had failed four earlier attempts at the writing proficiency test since he began taking it as a sophomore. Nevada law currently requires seniors to pass four high-stakes exams to earn a diploma: math, science, reading and writing.

"I was pretty stressed out about it," said Hill-Hale, who plans to attend Allan Hancock College in Santa Maria, Calif.

"This was the only thing holding me back."

Hill-Hale created his own miracle in May when he finally made the grade on the writing exam with an essay about why he doesn't think professional athletes are overpaid.

Other Nevada seniors in similar straits may find relief in proposed legislation now before Gov. Brian Sandoval. Assembly Bill 456, approved Wednesday by the state Senate, would allow certain high school students to receive diplomas even if they fail a portion of the high school proficiency exam.

"This is not about watering down the test," said state Sen. Mo Denis, D-Las Vegas, chairman of the Senate Education Committee.

It's about helping the borderline cases, the students who are just missing the mark on the tests and who would otherwise graduate, Denis explained.

The Senate, with no discussion, voted 13-8 in favor of AB456. State Sens. Dean Rhoads, R-Tuscarora, and Joe Hardy, R-Boulder City, joined all 11 Democrats voting for the bill. The bill has already passed in the Assembly.

It wasn't known if Sandoval plans to sign the bill or veto it.

WHO WILL BE AFFECTED?

If the bill is signed into law, high school seniors unable to pass one of the state's four proficiency exams would be allowed to receive a diploma based on an overall cumulative score, which has yet to be established. Other requirements include having a grade point average of 2.75 or better, a good attendance record and no ongoing disciplinary issues.

Because the bill restricts student eligibility, Nevada Superintendent of Schools Keith Rheault estimated it might help only 200 to 300 seniors, or less than 1 percent of all seniors statewide.

It would be a big deal to those affected, but not to the state as a whole, Rheault said.

Sue Daellenbach, the Clark County School District's assistant super­intendent for assessment and accountability, said the bill might help between 60 to 200 local students. It's not a significant number considering the district has 20,044 seniors this year.

Education officials are having difficulty assessing what the impact of the bill would be because details, such as setting a passing cumulative score for the proficiency exams, still have to be worked out. The exams now are graded separately and there is no cumulative score. The writing test also is graded on a different scale than the one used for reading, science and math.

Rheault said if the bill is signed into law, he will consult with states that have similar laws on the books. He noted that college entrance exams also are based on cumulative scores.

Liberty Principal Jeff Geihs said many states don't even require exit exams. While the principal of the Henderson campus supports the proficiency exams and believes in standards, he said it is unfair to compare Nevada to other states because it is like "comparing apples to oranges."

HOW AB456 CAME TO PASS

During testimony on AB456, a story was told of a high school senior with a college scholarship who was in danger of not graduating because she couldn't pass the math proficiency exam, Denis said. The girl moved in with her grandparents in St. George, Utah, where there are no exit exam requirements.

Because she already had enough credits, "she did not have to go to school one day and she got a diploma," Denis said.

Nevada routinely ranks at the bottom in various national studies for graduation rates. Last year, Education Week estimated the state's graduation rate at 42 percent, based on data from the class of 2007. The finding was criticized by local education officials, who said the calculation did not adjust for Nevada's high student turnover or distinguish between dropouts and students who leave one school to attend another.

For the past two years, Clark County has calculated its graduation rate at about 68 percent. Daellenbach thinks this year's graduation rate will be about the same.

Clark County seniors have shown improvement on the proficiency exams. For example, the number of seniors who failed the May math exam declined by 344 students from a year ago, from 2,065 to 1,721.

Technically, seniors have until October to pass the tests and be considered part of the class of 2011, Daellenbach said. Students who have not passed their exams before June can walk at graduation but will only get a certificate of attendance.

Seniors might fail to get diplomas for other reasons, too. Last year, about 500 seniors who had passed all their proficiency exams didn't earn diplomas because they lacked the necessary credits.

As part of its legislative agenda this year, the Clark County School District has pushed for reforms to improve the graduation rate, such as making it difficult for dropouts to get driver's licenses or jobs.

Rheault said the bill to ease graduation requirements is the only proposed reform that's survived the legislative process.

While the bill has encountered opposition from Republicans as a lowering of standards, Hill-Hale and other students think the legislation is a good idea.

"So many people I know have missed (passing) by one point," said Kelly Camargo, a Liberty senior who passed her writing, math and science proficiency exams earlier this month.

Geihs has seen seniors break down and cry after learning they won't receive a diploma.

"It's absolutely devastating," Geihs said. "Students have needed counseling."

To prepare students for the high-stakes exams, the Henderson campus offers weekend writing and math boot camps and drill sessions during the regular school day.

"Drill and practice," Geihs said. "That's what they'll do all day."

Worrying about graduation can take the fun out of the high school experience, students acknowledged.

"When you finally pass, you're like, 'I wish I could have done it sooner so I could enjoy my senior year and not be stressed all the time,' " Camargo said.

Contact reporter James Haug at jhaug@reviewjournal .com or 702-374-7917.