Test week begins for high school juniors, seniors

Cy Ryan covers state government for the Sun. He can be reached at (775) 687-5032.

CARSON CITY -- An estimated 15,000 juniors and seniors will be taking the high school proficiency examination this week in reading, mathematics and writing.

Students must receive a passing score on all three before getting a high school diploma.

This test also includes a "practice science" test, McIntosh said, a dry run of the science proficiency exam that will be added to the test in October 2001. The scores from this science test will not count for or against students.

However, students will need to score 64 in math, 71 in reading and three points on a four-point scale in writing to pass the other examinations, Tom McIntosh of the state Department of Education, said Monday.

The test was administered in October, and McIntosh said 50 percent of the juniors passed. He didn't have figures for seniors. But he said an estimated 15,000 have to take the math test this time, 8,000 the reading portion and a smaller number the writing.

Questions in the math test ask students to solve problems that require the basic mathematics skills that a student with a high school diploma should possess.

In the reading test, students are asked to read a written passage, then answer questions about the text. The reading and math tests are multiple choice.

Students who fail to pass one or more parts of the exam before will need to retake only the portions they have not passed.

For those who fail, there will be additional chances in April and in the summer. "They have at least four opportunities," to pass the examinations, McIntosh said.

Last year the Legislature allowed students to take the examination extra times when a large number could not pass the math test. That was the first time a tougher test had been given as part of the proficiency exams. Eventually, McIntosh said, the results shows the passing rate was in the high 90 percent range.

Results on the examinations this week should be available in mid-March.

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