Topical Review Two
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
TOPICAL REVIEW TWO High Stakes: Exit Documents and Students with Disabilities October, 2002 The Institute for the Study of Exceptional Children and Youth University of Maryland 1308 Benjamin Building College Park, Maryland 20742-1161 301.405.6509 • fax: 301.314.9158 # eprri The Educational Policy Reform Research Institute High Stakes: Exit Documents and Students with Disabilities Katherine Nagle, University of Maryland Diana Pullin, Lynch School of Education, Boston College Joanne Karger, Harvard Graduate School of Education Kimber Malmgren, University of Maryland October, 2002 The Institute for the Study of Exceptional Children and Youth University of Maryland 1308 Benjamin Building College Park, Maryland 20742-1161 301.405.6509 • 301.314.9158 visit our web site at www.eprri.org Funding for this research work was provided by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs (Grant # H324P000004). Opinions expressed in this paper are those of the authors, and do not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. Department of Education or the Office of Special Education Programs. Any or all portions of this document may be reproduced and distributed without prior permission, provided the source is cited as: Educational Policy Research Reform Institute (EPRRI) (date). Title of publication. College Park, MD: University of Maryland, College Park Educational Policy Research Reform Institute. Retrieved [today's date], from the World Wide Web:www.eprri.org # eprri The Educational Policy Reform Research Institute EPRRI, funded by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs, investigates the impact of new educational accountability systems on students with disabilities and on special education. EPRRI addresses the research needs of policy-makers and other key stakeholders by identifying critical gaps in current knowledge, seeking promising strategies, and publishing Topical Reviews, Policy Updates, and Issue Briefs. The Institute is a joint venture of the Institute for the Study of Exceptional Children and Youth at the University of Maryland, the National Center on Educational Outcomes at the University of Minnesota, and the Urban Special Education Leadership Collaborative. Table of Contents Topical Review Highlights 5 1. Introduction 7 2. Overview of the High School Diploma 9 Historical Overview 9 The Expansion of the American High School 9 High School Responses to Increased Enrollment 12 Social Promotion 13 Equity Versus Excellence 14 Conclusion 15 3. Legal Issues 17 Major Court Challenges to High School Exit Exams 17 Legal and Public Policy Considerations 18 Implications for the Implementation of Assessments 21 Conclusion 22 4. Economic Consequences 23 Employment 23 Wages 25 Engagement 25 Postsecondary School Attendance 26 Independent Living 27 5. High School Graduation and Disabilities: The Current Situation 29 High School Graduation Rates 29 Exit Options Available 32 Graduation Requirements for a Standard Diploma 35 Conclusion 45 6. International Comparisons 47 The United Kingdom 47 A. Exit Documents 47 B. Special Education 49 France 50 A. Exit Documents 51 B. Special Education 52 Italy 52 A. Exit Documents 53 B. Special Education 54 Sweden 54 A. Exit Documents 54 B. Special Education 55 Conclusion 56 eprri# 7. Policy Alternatives 57 The Single Diploma Model 57 The Multiple Exit Document Model 58 Separate Track Exit Document Model 58 Conclusion 59 8. Policy Suggestions 61 9. Conclusion 65 References 67 List of Tables and Figures Table 1 Public High School Graduation Rates 29 Table 2 Number and Percentage of Students Ages 14 and Older with Disabilities Graduating with a Standard Diploma: 1998-99 30 Figure 1 Percentage of Students Age 14 and Older Graduating with a Standard Diploma, 1993-94 to 1998-99 31 Table 3 Exit Options Available in Each State 32 Table 4 Advantages and Disadvantages of Four Diploma Options 34 Table 5 Standard Diploma Requirements 35 Table 6 State Course Credit Requirements for High School Graduation 36 Table 7 Changes in Credit Requirements for Students with Disabilities in Credit Requirement States 38 Table 8 High School Exit Exam Requirements, 2000 39 Table 9 Subject Areas Included in States’ Graduation Exams (2000 Data) 41 Table 10 Changes in Exam Requirements to Permit Students with Disabilities to Earn a Regular Diploma 42 Table 11 Can Students with Disabilities Receive a Standard Diploma if Exempted from the Graduation Exam if They Fulfill Other State Graduation Requirements 43 Table 12 Who is Required to Pass the Same Exam with the Same Score as Those Students without Disabilities to Earn a High School Diploma 44 Topical Review Highlights The push for educational accountability and standards- A relatively high percentage of students with disabilities based reform has had a significant impact on the awarding drop out of high school without meeting exit requirements. of high school diplomas. In the US, a regular diploma indi- Causes for this include a lack of curricular relevancy, partic- cates basic academic and personal competence; a student ularly given the increasing emphasis on academic standards. without one faces stigma and limited options. Yet, as states Students with disabilities who leave school before graduation raise standards and require competency exams, some stu- face the general economic and societal risks associated with dents - including those with disabilities - may be given alter- dropping out and also lose access to specialized transition nate exit documents (such as IEP diplomas and certificates education and vocational programs. of completion) or none at all. Students with disabilities who remain in school experi- High school graduation began to take on its present sig- ence a wide range of state policies on graduation require- nificance in the early decades of the 20th century. Because ments. States differ in significant ways, including: of changes in the economy, the arrival of great numbers of immigrants, and fears of urban social unrest, Americans • Exit document options offered (standard diploma gradually came to view high school completion as a key to only, IEP diploma, certificate of attendance, honors economic success. It wasn’t until the 1960s and early 1970s diploma, etc.); that students with disabilities finally won access to the • Requirements for a diploma (course credits only, opportunities that a public education and high school diplo- credits plus exam, exam only, etc.); ma can confer. • Types of exit exams given (basic skills, comprehen- Now, however, exit exams threaten to deny diplomas to sive assessment, etc.); special populations, and lawsuits are challenging both the process and results for students with disabilities. The legal • Changes allowed in course and/or exam requirements challenges include constitutional claims brought under the to permit students with disabilities to earn a stan- Due Process and Equal Protection Clauses of the Fourteenth dard diploma (modified course work with unchanged Amendment, and claims under disability statutes. Case law exam, unchanged coursework with exemption from and administrative opinions indicate that: exam, etc.). • Denial of a diploma to students with disabilities can A look at how four European countries handle issues of thwart the goals of the Individuals with Disabilities diploma requirements and special education reveals a simi- Education Act (IDEA) and Americans with Disabilities lar variety of approaches. Sweden and Italy emphasize local Act (ADA); assessments by teachers, while France and the United Kingdom (UK) put heavy reliance on external examinations. • Decisions about participation in assessments should Attempts in several of the countries to equalize the value of be made by a student’s IEP team; exit documents from vocational programs and academic • Students with disabilities must be given the opportu- ones has proved problematic. The extent to which students nity to learn material covered on exit exams; with disabilities are explicitly included in educational reform also varies, but none of the four countries give the • Students with disabilities must receive appropriate issue as high a profile as the US does, and none disaggregate accommodations on exit exams or be given the score data for these students. chance to have alternate assessments. The Educational Policy Reform Research Institute 5 eprri# Policymakers face the difficult challenge of ensuring quality control and enforcing high standards, yet offering exit documents that recognize the achievement of all stu- dents. Three models used in the US and Europe present a number of relevant considerations: • The Single Diploma Model offers common content, holds all students to a higher standard, emphasizes academics, and provides access to higher education; • The Multiple Exit Document Model allows core con- tent to vary for IEP diplomas, gives recognition to dif- ferences in performance, and may provide alternative access to higher education; • The Separate Track Exit Document Model offers dif- ferent curricula, settings, and assessments, provides a second chance at education for post-school popula- tions, and is not tied to student age. A recent EPRRI symposium on exit documents and stu- dents with disabilities resulted in a variety of policy recom- mendations: alter requirements for a standard diploma; use accommodations before actual testing; retest; change the way we report and analyze assessments; build assessments with students with disabilities in mind; continually monitor school and student performance;