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State Senate to vote on ending Rising Junior Exam
Kendra Carey
Issue date: 3/12/07 Section: News
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Arkansas' Senate is scheduled to vote Monday to repeal the Rising Junior Exam and send it to Gov. Mike Beebe to become law. Associated Student Government recently endorsed repeal of the exam, required by law since 1995 but dismissed by many students and administrators as meaningless.
The bill, sponsored by Sen. Sue Madison, D-Fayetteville, and approved 24-1 on Feb. 24, amends the original Senate bill to add its House of Representatives sponsor, Rep. Betty Pickett, D-Conway. The House approved the measure on March 6 by an 84-1 vote.
"If everything happens as expected, then the last Rising Junior Exam has already been given," Sen. Madison said.
The score on the test meant nothing to students' progress, said Bernard Madison, former Dean of the Fulbright College.
"They only had to sit for the exam, and I know of no consequences to an institution for low scores," Madison said.
Lisa Summerford, assistant dean of the Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences, echoed Madison's view.
"It's the most ridiculous waste of resources," Summerford said. "Students don't take it seriously, and the results - I've never seen them. Nothing comes to the colleges. I don't know who gets any feedback."
Sophomores and juniors with 45 or more hours of credit are required to take the Collegiate Assessment of Academic Proficiency, the official name of the Rising Junior Exam. It tests students' skills in several modules including writing, mathematics, critical thinking and science reasoning and was mandated in Arkansas as part of a nationwide movement demanding accountability. The legislation required the state Department of Higher Education to report results of the exam annually to the legislature.
The lack of feedback enters into students' reaction to the test.
"Beyond the fact that no standardized test allows for the proper interpretation of individuals, this particular one is taken with a lack of motivation," junior Mark Newlin said. "Anyone who takes this test neither benefits nor suffers from it."
The bill, sponsored by Sen. Sue Madison, D-Fayetteville, and approved 24-1 on Feb. 24, amends the original Senate bill to add its House of Representatives sponsor, Rep. Betty Pickett, D-Conway. The House approved the measure on March 6 by an 84-1 vote.
"If everything happens as expected, then the last Rising Junior Exam has already been given," Sen. Madison said.
The score on the test meant nothing to students' progress, said Bernard Madison, former Dean of the Fulbright College.
"They only had to sit for the exam, and I know of no consequences to an institution for low scores," Madison said.
Lisa Summerford, assistant dean of the Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences, echoed Madison's view.
"It's the most ridiculous waste of resources," Summerford said. "Students don't take it seriously, and the results - I've never seen them. Nothing comes to the colleges. I don't know who gets any feedback."
Sophomores and juniors with 45 or more hours of credit are required to take the Collegiate Assessment of Academic Proficiency, the official name of the Rising Junior Exam. It tests students' skills in several modules including writing, mathematics, critical thinking and science reasoning and was mandated in Arkansas as part of a nationwide movement demanding accountability. The legislation required the state Department of Higher Education to report results of the exam annually to the legislature.
The lack of feedback enters into students' reaction to the test.
"Beyond the fact that no standardized test allows for the proper interpretation of individuals, this particular one is taken with a lack of motivation," junior Mark Newlin said. "Anyone who takes this test neither benefits nor suffers from it."
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