High school exit exams set low bar

States are setting a low bar for high school seniors and requiring only middle school knowledge to pass English and mathematics exit exams to graduate, according to a study released June 10.

Achieve Inc., a bipartisan, nonprofit education organization formed by governors and prominent business leaders, analyzed public high school graduation exams in Florida, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Ohio and Texas. Students in those states make up a quarter of the nation’s high school students and half of U.S. students who must take exit exams to earn a diploma.

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