A Longstanding Alaska Dilemma
The 28th Alaska Legislature removed the requirement for Alaska students in public schools to pass the High School Graduation Qualifying Exam (HSGQE). That test was normed at 9th grade and students took it in April and in October each year if they didn’t pass it the first year, as most did. The last HSGQE was administered in Spring, 2014. When that test was dropped all students who had previously failed it were given their diplomas retroactively. After all, how could it be the students’ fault if they failed these basic tests after three years of high school?
Accountability for academic outcomes of 50 Alaska School Districts doesn’t exist. Since at least 2014 Alaska students are routinely graduated with 10th-11th grade diplomas while the GED was upgraded to be nationally normed at 12th grade. Homeschool parents can be sure their students have a 12th grade education if they can pass the GED.
