Texas Passes Bill to Require End-of-Course Exams

A bill passed by the Texas legislature that would replace the high school exit exam with 12 end-of-course exams taken by students in grades 9-11 is now in the hands of Gov. Rick Perry , along with a number of other K-12 education-related measures, including the nation’s most ambitious steroid-testing program for high school athletes .

Kathryn M. Cesinger, the deputy press secretary for the Republican governor, said she couldn’t comment prior to the governor’s final decisions on whether he might approve any of the bills passed by lawmakers in their session that wrapped up May 28. He has until June 17 to sign, veto, or permit those measures to become law without his signature.

Ms. Cesinger noted, however, that “as for end-of-course exams, he does support that, but as far as whether he’ll sign the actual legislation, he’ll have to see how it looks...