The Alabama board of education has approved an overhaul of the state’s testing plan that will replace the high school graduation exam with end-of-course tests. All high school juniors will be required to take the ACT college-entrance test, with the state picking up the cost.
State Superintendent of Education Joe Morton said the changes will provide a better assessment of students’ progress, and will increase instruction time by reducing the number of days that students spend taking tests.
The school board approved the changes unanimously last week. They will be phased in over several years. The high school graduation exam will be eliminated for students entering the 9th grade in the 2011-12 school year.
