High Stakes Graduation Tests and High School Dropout in Texas and Florida, 1979 – 2001
John R. ("Rob") Warren, University of Minnesota
In many states high school students who fail to pass state-mandated graduation proficiency tests do not obtain diplomas and do not graduate. Despite the laudable goal of improving education by motivating teachers and students to achieve higher standards, detractors point out that there are serious potential downsides to high stakes testing policies of this sort, especially if poorly implemented. In this research I ask two questions. First, I ask whether high stakes graduation tests influence high school dropout decisions. Second, I ask whether the effects of these tests on high school dropout are experienced disproportionately by low-SES or race/ethnicity minority students. In the present paper I use 1979-2001 October CPS data for 16-19 year olds in Florida and Texas, states in which high stakes graduation testing practices have been well documented (and have been the source of a great deal of controversy and litigation).