LISA DAVIS
Star Beacon
March 29, 2007 07:38 am
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Seniors began taking the Ohio Graduation Test (OGT) in their sophomore year and now must pass the test before they can get their high school diploma.
Some students still need to pass one or two sections before graduation. The OGT was administered a few weeks ago.
According to an Associated Press story in Monday's Star Beacon, some 30,000 students in Ohio still have to pass at least one section before graduation. About 14,000 students last year had their graduations held up for failing to pass the previous test, ninth-grade proficiency test.
The OGT tests knowledge at a higher grade level, is aligned with a state curriculum and features fewer multiple choice question. Short essay responses, along with reading comprehension make up the test.
"It's a concern," said Jerry Mlack, vice principal of Edgewood Senior High School. "But we're thinking positive."
Only a small number of seniors need to pass one to two sections and hopefully they did, Mlack said. Seniors recently took the test and the results are expected in May.
At Jefferson High School very few need to pass the OGT.
"The number is in the single digits," said Principal Thomas Harrison.
Of that small number students only need to pass one section of the test, he said. To help those few seniors Jefferson offered tutoring.
"We're pretty hopefully they passed," he said.
Student who don't pass all the sections prior to graduation still have an opportunity to take the test at another date, Harrison said.
Lakeside High School has 29 seniors who need to pass one or more sections of the OGT. Out of that number, six students are special education and 12 can still graduate with an exemption, said Principal James Candela.
The exemption is allowed to students who pass the one section they need with a score of 390 or more, have a "B" grade point average overall and good attendance, Candela said.
A score of 400 is considered passing. To help the students, Lakeside provided tutoring this year the last two months prior to the test, Candela said.
Only two to three seniors at Geneva High School need to pass the OGT.
"Hopefully after they recently took the test we won't have any student who didn't pass all five sections," said Principal Joanne Daniels.
The last several years, there has been no senior who didn't graduate because of not passing the OGT, she said. To help seniors and even juniors the school offers additional remedial tutoring.
However, if a senior doesn't pass the OGT they do have one last chance to take the test again, Daniels said.
The OGT test knowledge at a higher grade level and features fewer multiple choice questions in favor of short essay questions.
Star Beacon Print Edition: 3/28/2007
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