'High Stakes' Exams Seen as Test for Voc. Ed.

By John Gehring

As the number of states adopting "high stakes" graduation exams continues to grow, so too does the debate over what the trend will mean for students in vocational education.

Some educators say more of those students, frustrated by the prospect of flunking paper-and-pencil tests they believe have no relevance to their chosen careers, will drop out of high school.

"We can't lose sight of the kids who are going to be hurt by [high-stakes tests]," said David Ferreira, the president of the Massachusetts Association of Vocational Administrators. "You can't expect youngsters who devote half of their time on occupational skills to be assessed the same way as kids who are...