i also wonder if the drop out rate will decrease if children are challenged more, through the Advanced Diploma. How many kids have dropped out of school, because they were bored, or goofed off and failed because they were bored? Why not set our expectations of our kids high?

It also concerns me, that some of the posters that brag about the graduation exam, are writing functionally illiterate sentences. Perhaps they were typing too fast and did not realize. If though, the end result of a “graduation exam” is to pass a test, but not be able to write a sentence, then perhaps it has worked. I personally think we need to give the classrooms back to the TEACHERS and not to the political system-the State Department, Barton, etc. JMHO

I do not understand what all of the confusion is about. Twenty five years ago I could understand all of the contoversy over this new rule . Who cares what weighs on a High School Diploma today? If you plan on getting a College Degree you are going to have to pass the entry exams. No shortcuts. No exceptions. If you emphasis to your child that a High School Diploma alone will allow them to make a decent paycheck you might as well expect that child to live at home for a long time. Wake up parents this is not the 70sor 80s. In todays world a normal education is not a High School Diploma. Well, it is if you do not intend on paying rent/mortgage, untilities, food, car note, savings or decide to have children. If you want to literally be poor for your entire adult life, just stop at that High School Education. Basic Diploma, Advanced Diploma, unless you futhur your education in a technical field or get your College Degree you will struggle all through life and end up with nothing.

I really do not understand their way of thinking. If you can not pass a test and have the oppurtunity to take the test more than once and then are still unable to pass, then why should they get away with passing at all. I know a student at MGM that does not have all the required credits needed for graduation but is still being allowed to walk. She told me last summer that after graduation she will go to summer school to make up the credits she needs. Now correct me if I’m wrong but if she and her parents knew last summer that she was lacking credits then why was she not required by the school last summer to make up the credits in summer school or required to go to night school instead of waiting until after graduation to make up anything. I mean really this is unreal these are credits she missed from ninth or tenth grade.  Come on either you earn it or you don’t. Why just give it to them, make them work for it. They are suppost to go to school to learn. What is this teaching them!!

Has the school gotten this lax? That they dont care anymore what is it ? Well I see where are the cutt backs are coming in now I support it .. If they dont have to teach the kids the exit exam then I guess it will save us some tax dollars? What do you think ?You know I had to take and PASS all my parts to the exit exam and Iam proud of it ! But its not fair to the classes of 01-08 that had to take and pass theirs just to walk with the class . I saw many kids that didnt get this chance . They failed parts that now dont even have to be taken . Now you wouldnt like that would you ? They got certificates that say they compleated 12 yrs of school does employers take those now instead of diplomas? I dont think so. You know they say the kids wont use this after school .. Well I didnt use them either but I had to pass them ! Iam a proud stay at home mom but I had to take and pass mine to graduate ! There are many that didnt get this chance ! 
Thanks Beth

you dont get an education by making the test easy,life is not easy,if you just hand them a diploma they have learned nothing,what a leader.the majority passed by hard work now they want to give the ones who did not study a diploma,how is that going to help them and how do you think the students feel that worked hard all these years.way to go mobile you should put out a lot of not so smart students from now on.duh.