(Deming) – Close to 200 Deming High School seniors will be retaking the required state high school graduation test early next month.
High School Guidance Counselor Sherry Ellis said the seniors who did not
receive at least a score of 73 on the Standard Based Assessment they took in
the spring are included in that number, along with students who have
transferred to the district from other states.
This year’s senior class is the first graduating class required to pass the SBA in order to receive a high school diploma. Students who do not pass will receive a “certificate of completion” in lieu of a diploma.
And the test is much more difficult than the previous sophomore competency test, which was normed at about an 8th grade difficulty level. Officials said this test reflects 11th grade work.
Principal Janean Garney said the school has been offering tutoring in reading and math – the two subjects which must be passed for graduation – at lunch and after school, as well as in Columbus.
And she added that many seniors were within a few points of passing in the spring, so she is confident they will be able to pull their grade up on the retake.
The main hurdle, Garney believes, is having students take the test seriously. The retake test will be offered October 2nd and 4th, with results due back by December.
Seniors who don’t pass the retake will be given an Alternate Demonstration Assessment in the spring, but Garney said they still have not been told what the Alternate Demonstration Assessment will require of the students.
High School Guidance Counselor Sherry Ellis said the seniors who did not
receive at least a score of 73 on the Standard Based Assessment they took in
the spring are included in that number, along with students who have
transferred to the district from other states.
This year’s senior class is the first graduating class required to pass the SBA in order to receive a high school diploma. Students who do not pass will receive a “certificate of completion” in lieu of a diploma.
And the test is much more difficult than the previous sophomore competency test, which was normed at about an 8th grade difficulty level. Officials said this test reflects 11th grade work.
Principal Janean Garney said the school has been offering tutoring in reading and math – the two subjects which must be passed for graduation – at lunch and after school, as well as in Columbus.
And she added that many seniors were within a few points of passing in the spring, so she is confident they will be able to pull their grade up on the retake.
The main hurdle, Garney believes, is having students take the test seriously. The retake test will be offered October 2nd and 4th, with results due back by December.
Seniors who don’t pass the retake will be given an Alternate Demonstration Assessment in the spring, but Garney said they still have not been told what the Alternate Demonstration Assessment will require of the students.
RSS Feed
