The Maryland High School Assessment measures high schoolers? competency in key subjects and is not related to the high-stakes tests slammed in recent university studies, officials said.
The studies from professors at the Universities of Minnesota, Indiana and California found that students in 23 states with state testing do not perform better on national math and reading tests than students in states without the tests, and are not more likely to attend college or earn higher incomes.
“It really does not affect our tests. It?s not relevant,” said Bill Reinhard, state education department spokesman, of the research?s relationship to the state?s HSA, which are “exams that provide a base line for all students to pass before they reach the rest of their graduation requirements.”
Starting with the class of 2009, students must pass HSA exams in algebra/data analysis, biology, government and English to graduate.
In addition, Maryland students must earn state-specific credits, complete service-learning requirements and meet attendance requirements to pass each course.
Nearly half of states have some form of graduation assessment, and more than 60 percent of all high schoolers must past a series of exams to graduate, according to the Maryland education department.
The professors? research has been accepted for publication in a prominent education journal but has yet to be published. Many school officials, including those in Baltimore, Howard and Harford counties, were unaware of the study and couldn?t specifically comment.
“We?re taking the [graduation] test because it?s a state requirement,” said Howard schools spokeswoman Patti Caplan.
“It?s supposed to be a standard for students to have sufficient knowledge of math, English … to ensure they can go into the work force or college.”
Harford schools spokesman Don Morrison agreed with Reinhard and Caplan.
Courses included in the graduation tests, such as algebra, were not meant to be indications of the rigor students would experience in college, Morrison said.
Staff Writer Leah Fable contributed to this report.
