Seniors try again on exam

Terry Webster

Friday, Feb. 4, 2000 | 10:23 a.m.

Now comes the real test -- again.

A lot is riding on next week's High School Proficiency Exam for juniors and seniors in the Clark County School District. Especially for those who have already taken and failed one or more portions of it.

Although a series of study sessions have been held at high schools, some students are still apprehensive about taking the exam. All three portions of it -- reading, math and writing -- must be passed before students can receive a high school diploma.

Around 66 percent of Clark County juniors taking the exam for the first time in October passed the reading portion of the exam and 49 percent passed math.

Before graduation, students have up to eight chances to pass the test, and another chance is given in June, right after graduation ceremonies.

The number of seniors who still have to take portions of the exam are 1,900 in reading, 1,300 in writing and 3,900 in math, said Judy Costa, the school district's director of testing and evaluation. The numbers include students who have failed the test and those who have not taken it.

"Between 200 and 450 have not been tested, depending on the subject," Costa said.

Three students at Cimarron-Memorial High School in northwest Las Vegas said they are worried about taking the exam again because they don't feel prepared. They were among the students taking a proficiency exam review course at Rancho High School.

The school district is offering the review courses through April at locations throughout the city.

"My dad said that if I don't pass it, I'm grounded for the whole summer," Nicole Kastris, a junior, said.

Kastris said she just started covering some of the material on the math section of the exam this year. She feels studying and preparation for the exam should begin in the sophomore and freshman years.

But she's determined to pass it this time.

"As long as I pass this one, I'll do OK," said Kastris, who plans to attend Community College of Southern Nevada and wants to become a television journalist.

Kastris and seniors Melissa Benavides and Melinda McGill all said it's unfair to base graduation on one test.

"I'm not that great at tests, but I do all my homework and I make good grades," McGill said. "This puts a lot of stress on us and it makes it really hard. When you get stressed out, you don't do as well on tests."

McGill said she currently is taking a trigonometry class but was unable to remember easier math problems.

"You would think that if someone is in that high of a math class, they would be able to get through it," McGill said. "But they don't have you review and they don't have you do anything."

Like Kastris, Benavides said she has not studied at the level of math on the test.

"I go to all of my classes and I get good grades," Benavides said. "But because of one test, I'm not going to be able to graduate?"

McGill said another problem with the math portion is that calculators are allowed in classes, but they aren't allowed while taking the proficiency exam.

"They wonder why so many people drop out," Benavides said. "Look at the things they do to make you want to drop out. If I don't pass this test, I'm just going to go crazy."

Rancho High School Principal Paul Garbiso said the courses students are taking have to match what is being asked on the test.

"The curriculum has to be aligned," he said. "You can't just test in a broad area because not all kids go into the geometry or other areas. We do as much as we can with support and instruction in order to achieve this, but it's frustrating. We have to be fair to the kids in that what we're trying to test and what we want them to know is what we're teaching.

"Still, Clark County has some of the most unique programs I've ever seen to help students with learning."