Members testify in favor of repealing Exit Exam

NEA-Alaska members from across the state joined other educators, parents, and students in urging the legislature to repeal the high school Exit Exam.  Testifying via teleconference, the members added their voices to that of President Barb Angaiak, who testified in person before the Senate Community and Regional Affairs Committee in Juneau. 

Long time K-12 supporter and friend Sen. Bettye Davis (Anchorage) sponsored SB 109, that would do away with the high stakes test.  For relevant back-up material on SB 109 go to www.legis.state.ak.us and click on the "Documents" link.

NEA-Alaska is on record in support of eliminating the test.  While the idea of students meeting minimum levels of proficiency does have merit, the HSGQE has not done the job it was intended to do. Some of the concerns that arose with the implementation of the testing requirement were:

• It causes confusion among students when they have completed the HSGQE successfully since some believe once passed there is no reason to continue a formal education.
• It causes huge anxiety among some students that have difficulty in formal test settings.
• It was always intended to be a minimum set of standard skills we wanted students to achieve. However, it is now seen as an annoying hurdle to those planning to further their education, and for some an accomplishment that, once achieved, means no further work is needed in high school, and a GED is a shortcut to being done with school.
• It makes no allowance for second language learners
• Regardless of how you look at it, it's not helping and in some cases is hurting our children.

At the end of the testimony, the Community and Regional Affairs Committee, chaired by Sen. Donny Olson (Golovin/Nome), voted unanimously to move the legislation out of committee to the Senate Finance Committee.  Look for a bill hearing in Senate Finance later in the session.