CAHSEE Exemptions

The state of California continues to try and come up with the best way to use the CAHSEE to improve education across the state. They have now made the decision that special education students will be permanently exempt from the CAHSEE graduation requirement. This means that student who are placed in the "special education" programs at various schools will receive diplomas without necessarily having passed the CAHSEE. This could be a major loophole that under-performing schools use to circumvent the CAHSEE. Since the decision on whether to place a student in the special ed program is typically a subjective one, it is not hard to imagine that this could become an increasing trend throughout the state. Let's hope that teachers, counselors, and administrators don't try to exploit this loophole. If the CAHSEE is going to do its job it will need the support of and commitment of high school faculty. This decision has already started to draw the attention of many educators who are in the blogosphere. Click here to read one teachers take on the new policy. Overall it will be important to make sure that the policy is not abused and that struggling students don't get the short end of the stick by being mislabeled as "special ed".