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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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State
Rep. James Roebuck |
  
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Education Committee calls for greater evaluation, assistance to districts
rather than statewide competency exams
HARRISBURG, June 26 – The House Education Committee today agreed that the proposed statewide Graduation Competency Assessments should be reconsidered before implementation.
Chairman James Roebuck, D-Phila. said the State Board of Education's proposed Chapter 4 regulatory changes would implement a new statewide set of Graduation Competency Assessments. High school students would be required to pass the exams on a range of academic topics before being eligible to graduate. Implementing the exams would cost an estimated $15 million.
"After several very serious concerns were raised over the effectiveness and necessity of the proposed high school competency exams, we've concluded that the proposal isn’t quite ready for our support," Roebuck said. "Rather than rushing into what is a very significant change in our state's education system, we believe it is more prudent and appropriate for the State Board to first study the adequacy of competency exams currently being used in school districts, followed by targeted assistance to those districts where improvements clearly must be made."
Roebuck and the committee recently held extensive hearings to receive testimony and greater details on the proposed statewide competency exams from various education experts, including representatives of the State Board and the Department of Education. The committee members have also been inundated by comments from concerned school leaders, teachers, parents and other stakeholders from across the state, he said.
The committee today agreed to send to the State Board a number of serious concerns it has identified with regard to the proposal, as well as a recommendation that the board conduct a study or audit of school district graduation assessments. The committee further suggested that in school districts where the assessments are found to be less than adequate, the Department of Education should provide assistance to develop appropriate assessment systems.
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