States are walking away from high school exit tests. Is Florida next?

“We are being really careful to make sure kids are not left behind,” she said. “You have to change with the times.”

Many Floridians pushed for the tests' demise during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Florida Department of Education waived the requirements because of problems administering the exams, and graduation rates increased.

Critics noted that about 7% of the students would not have graduated if the test were in place. And once the state reimposed the requirement, the graduation rate declined.

Department officials insisted the accountability measures must remain.

Rightly so, said Michael Petrilli, president of the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, a conservative think tank that has supported what was once referred to as education reform. He said the case for exit exams is arguably stronger then ever.

“Grade inflation is rampant and getting worse, credit recovery programs are everywhere and all of the accountability incentives are encouraging high schools to get kids across the graduation stage instead of upholding standards for what it takes to earn a diploma,” Petrilli said. “It’s probably never been easier to graduate from high school in America. Exit exams or end-of-course exams are small speed bumps on the way to the Lower Standards 500.”

Levesque contended that other options could better serve students. She pointed to Indiana’s model as one that gives students different pathways toward graduation that meet their needs without getting rid of the high expectations.

Those include ideas such as using work experiences to demonstrate career skills.

“When a student gets a Florida diploma, it should be an indicator of a certain level of completion and skill,” Levesque said.

Ann Hyslop, director of policy development for All4Ed, which advocates expanding equitable educational opportunities marginalized groups, said many states include assessments as a component of their graduation requirements. But they’ve become more flexible in how they use the results, she said, applying them to certain types of diplomas but not necessarily all of them.

Having students prove competency in a test can be more meaningful than simply letting their completed credits serve as the requirement, Hyslop said. But there must be some effort to make the system fair for all students, she added, noting that teens who struggle most are those learning English and those with special needs.

Research shows mandatory tests can drive those students to drop out rather than persevere, she said.

Florida could split the difference by following other states in tweaking and modifying its approach to support students who might be harmed by unintended consequences.

State Rep. Alex Rizo, R-Hialeah, is an educator who has led House education subcommittees. He said he could see Florida seeking a middle ground.

It’s important for Florida to maintain its academic standards, Rizo said, but it does not necessarily need a slate of tests to do that. He noted the state already offers students the option of several replacements to the state exams, including the ACT and SAT, and suggested using just one of those would save money and have the same net effect.

It also could reduce what he called the over-testing of kids, he added. The goal is to keep measuring, but in a smart way, Rizo said.

“I’m all in favor of listening,” he said.

FairTest’s Schaeffer, who’s based in Lee County, said there’s a group of Florida parents and students who would rally for change.

“I think people are politically realistic at this stage and are waiting to see if there is a movement from Tallahassee they can get behind,” he said.