In the US, 26 states require students to pass end-of-course exams in certain subjects in order to graduate from high school. For example, Maryland requires students to pass tests in biology, algebra, and English, or the state denies them a high school diploma. Illinois has no such requirement. The following states, districts, and territories do not require exit exams, as of November 2011:
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Most of the states that do require an exit exam allow for students to appeal to the state’s board of education and claim extenuating circumstances.
This happened recently in Oklahoma to Robert Brown, a high school senior, who has a band scholarship to attend college and plans to go to law school. He was the only one of four students whose appeals were to be heard yesterday to show up at the Oklahoma State Board of Education hearing. Despite his hopes, the board denied his diploma in a unanimous vote.
State schools Superintendent Janet Barresi told NewsOK.com that the exit exam requirement was enacted in an effort to ensure that Oklahoma’s high school diplomas have substantial value after the student graduates. Requiring students to pass a series of exams before graduation ensures those students have mastered the subjects required, she said: “It is absolutely critical that Oklahoma stand behind their diploma and that their diploma mean something.”
In some cases, as in Oklahoma and Maryland, students who don’t pass the tests can complete projects that demonstrate mastery of the tested material. Robert said he hopes Langston College will continue to stand by their scholarship offer while he works out the details of his high school diploma with his school or with the state board.