OR: Students choose test for graduation

Students set to get choice of graduation test

Washington Post  June 21, 2008

Students in Oregon will choose between taking a national, state or local assessment to show that they have mastered the academic skills, in addition to meeting course requirements, required for a diploma.  The local assessments can include student portfolios or more traditional tests.  Critics say that providing options reduces consistency and undermines the meaning of the diploma by providing students an easy way out.  Advocates say that it is important for students to have multiple ways of showing proficiency and that it is a better alternative than having thousands of students in summer school or dropping out of school because they do not perform well on standardized tests.