An investigation of the impact of high school exit exams on graduation and dropout rates

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact, if any, of high school exit exams on graduation and drop out rates. The subjects for this study included five states who require students to pass an exit exam before receiving a diploma. States chosen were those that have had this requirement for three or more years: Florida, New Mexico, Louisiana, Virginia, and Nevada. Data used in this study was archival and collected from the National Governors Association, the United States Census Bureau, and the subjects’ State Departments of Education. Information obtained included descriptive data regarding state graduation exit requirements, 2000 Census data, and state high school graduation and dropout rates up to five years prior to implementation and up to five years after implementation. Data was analyzed to determine if a relationship existed between graduation and dropout rates and the implementation of graduation exit exams. The results from this study suggest that high school exit examinations have not had an overall impact on graduation and dropout rates in the subject states. Graduation rates improved in only one of the four subject states after the implementation of a high school exit exam. Additionally, dropout rates improved in only one of the four subject states after the implementation of a high school exit exam. This data may be helpful to policy-makers who are looking to implement or withdraw graduation exit exams as a requirement to earn a high school diploma.