Description
Beginning in 2006, the State of California implemented a new law mandating that all high school students pass an exit exam as a requirement for obtaining a High School Diploma from a California High School. However, this is thought to negatively impact some students whose primary language is not English by creating an environment that may increase depression, anxiety and stress among students. These negative effects should be taken into account when evaluating the effectiveness of a high school exit exam. Using a two-stage cluster sampling design and a self-report scale designed to measure the negative emotional states of depression, anxiety, and stress among high school students, it was found that students who had not taken the high school exit exam reported better psychological assessment scores compared to those students who had taken the exit exam and failed it. It was also found that psychological assessment scores of depression, anxiety and stress tended to get worse as students got closer to graduation. Specifically, after controlling for sex and race, 10th graders reported better depression scores than 12th graders who had taken the exit exam and failed it; and better anxiety assessment scores than both 11th and 12th graders who had taken the exit exam and failed it. While 10th graders had no significantly better stress assessment scores than 11th graders who had taken the exit exam and failed it, both 10th and 11th graders reported significantly better stress assessment scores than 12th graders who had taken the exit exam and failed it. Finally, the analysis to determine if psychological assessment scores of students differ among those students who had taken and passed the high school exit exam and those students who had not passed the high school exit exam within each grade level proved significant for 12th graders only. Particularly, those 12th graders who had passed the exit exam had, on average, better depression, anxiety and stress assessment scores than those who had taken and failed the high school exit exam. Note: Since 2006, all California high school students have been required to pass the California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE) in order graduate and receive their diplomas. But with schools facing drastic budget cuts, the state legislature is proposing a four-year moratorium on the exam because of the decreased resources going to schools and students.
