State looks at graduation exam changes

WASILLA -- The Department of Education and Early Development is taking public comment as it considers changing the way the High School Graduation Qualifying Exam is administered to students with disabilities.

The changes reflect an attempt to assure that tests measure a student's proficiency in a subject, rather than their disability.

Last year, an advocacy group for people with disabilities sued the state, in a class-action lawsuit, after a number of disabled students failed to pass the graduation exam and were denied high-school diplomas.

The state later issued diplomas to all the high-school seniors with disabilities who did not get diplomas that year.

Now in an effort to correct the testing requirements to better reflect a student's proficiency, the state is taking public written comments on a series of proposed changes.

The proposed changes affect the types of modifications and accommodations allowed for disabled students when they take their graduation exams, as well as expanding the ways students could qualify for the alternative exams.

There are two alternative tests currently under consideration: the Modified High School Graduation Qualifying Exam, which is appropriate for most students with disabilities, and the Nonstandardized High School Graduation Qualifying Exam, which is limited to students with severe physical or emotional disabilities.

In order to take either of the alternative exams, students must first attempt the standard exam, then, if they do not pass, they might be eligible for one of the alternative exams.

If a student receives a proficient score on either of the alternative exams, and completes all required high-school course work, he or she can receive a high-school diploma that is indistinguishable from all other standard Alaska high school diplomas.

Each modified test will be custom-made by a team of advisors and educators for each student who qualifies for the modified exam. The modifications will be sent to the Alaska Department of Education and Early Development for final approval.

Modifications might include, among other things, permitting students to use spell checks, grammar checks, graphing calculators, dictionaries or writing- resource guides.

If a student fails the modified test he or she may take the test again until passing all areas of the test. If students cannot pass the modified test, they may still be able to receive a diploma if they pass the Nonstandardized exam. The Nonstandardized exam is for those students who have severe emotional or behavioral impairments or other pervasive developmental, physical and mental disabilities that make them unable to pass the standard or modified tests.

The Nonstandardized exam is a portfolio of the student's work, which is compiled by the student's individual educators. The portfolios can contain assignments completed between the student's sophomore and senior years in high school and they must contain evidence demonstrating that the student is proficient in each of the tested categories.

For example, in math, a student's portfolio must contain at least three successfully completed math problems, between the student's sophomore and senior years, for each type of problem tested.

Once the portfolios are completed, a panel of educators evaluates the work to ensure it reflects proficiency in the state standards.

If the student demonstrates proficiency, he or she will be eligible for a diploma.

Oral comments on the proposed changes may be submitted at an Aug. 16 hearing in Juneau. People may also comment at an oral hearing from the Talking Book Library at 344 W. 3rd Ave., in Anchorage.

Written comments may be submitted to: Commissioner's Office, Department of Education and Early Development, Attn: Regulations Review, 801 West Tenth St., Suite 200, Juneau, AK 99801.

Comments may also be submitted via facsimile at (907) 465-4156 or via e-mail at www.eed.state.ak.us/regs/.

Those with a disability who need special accommodation in order to participate in the public-comment process, may call Darcy Markovich at (907) 465-2802.

Contact Joel Davidson at joel.davidson@frontiersman.com.