Exit Exams: Level Assessed

States vary in the grade-level content tested on exit exams. While a few states administer "minimum competency" exit exams covering content usually taught in grades 7-8, most state exit exams test high school-level content. A growing number of exit exams are end-of-course assessments, testing at the end of the school year material presumably taught during the academic year in which the end-of-course test is administered. When available, this database includes the level assessed for the state's entire exit exam, but in some cases only includes the level assessed for certain subjects.

Why does it matter? By aligning the exit exams to specific course content and grade levels, states can be assured that students are learning content at the levels necessary to succeed, and employers can be assured that students have the skills necessary to meet the high expectations of the 21st century workforce.

Highlights:

• According to reports published by Achieve, Inc. and the Center on Education Policy (CEP), the grade levels that are tested in exit exams range from the 6th grade to the 11th grade.

Methodology: This information was collected from state statutes, rules and regulations, and state education agency Web sites, and will be updated as new policies and programs are enacted.

Sources for all data points are accessible through this link.

Last updated: June 26, 2007

Research conducted by Michael Colasanti. Please contact Jennifer Dounay Zinth at 303.299.3689 or jdounay@ecs.org with comments or questions about this database.