The
Ohio Graduation Test (
OGT) is the high school graduation examination given to sophomores in the
U.S. stateA U.S. state is any one of 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government . Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile...
of
OhioOhio is a Midwestern state of the United States. The thirty-fourth largest state by area in the U.S., it is the seventh-most populous with nearly 11.5 million residents...
. It fulfills the
state achievement test requirement under the federal
No Child Left Behind ActThe No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 , often abbreviated in print as NCLB and sometimes shortened in pronunciation to "nicklebee", is a United States Act of Congress that was originally proposed by President George W. Bush immediately after taking office...
, which requires annual testing in
readingReading comprehension is defined as the level of understanding of a writing.Proficient reading depends on the ability to recognize words quickly and effortlessly...
and
mathematicsMathematics is the science and study of quantity, structure, space, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns, formulate new conjectures, and establish truth by rigorous deduction from appropriately chosen axioms and definitions....
. The OGT replaced the
Ohio Ninth Grade Proficiency Test (
NGPT) as the statewide exit exam.
The
Ohio Graduation Test (
OGT) is the high school graduation examination given to sophomores in the
U.S. stateA U.S. state is any one of 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government . Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile...
of
OhioOhio is a Midwestern state of the United States. The thirty-fourth largest state by area in the U.S., it is the seventh-most populous with nearly 11.5 million residents...
. It fulfills the
state achievement test requirement under the federal
No Child Left Behind ActThe No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 , often abbreviated in print as NCLB and sometimes shortened in pronunciation to "nicklebee", is a United States Act of Congress that was originally proposed by President George W. Bush immediately after taking office...
, which requires annual testing in
readingReading comprehension is defined as the level of understanding of a writing.Proficient reading depends on the ability to recognize words quickly and effortlessly...
and
mathematicsMathematics is the science and study of quantity, structure, space, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns, formulate new conjectures, and establish truth by rigorous deduction from appropriately chosen axioms and definitions....
. The OGT replaced the
Ohio Ninth Grade Proficiency Test (
NGPT) as the statewide exit exam. It tests student knowledge of course material set out in Ohio's Academic Content Standards, which are the state benchmarks.
Students take the OGT for the first time in March of their sophomore (second) year in
high schoolHigh school is the name used in some parts of the world, particularly in Scotland, Northern America and Oceania, to describe an institution that provides all or part of secondary education...
, but have six additional opportunities (including an optional summer administration) to pass all parts of the OGT, which is required in order to graduate. The test consists of sections on reading, math,
writingWriting is the representation of language in a textual medium through the use of a set of signs or symbols . It is distinguished from illustration, such as cave drawing and painting, and the recording of language via a non-textual medium such as magnetic tape audio.In Eurasia writing began as a...
,
scienceScience is in its broadest sense to any systematic knowledge-base or prescriptive practice that is capable of resulting in a prediction or predictable type of outcome...
and
social studiesSocial studies is the "integrated study of the social sciences and humanities to promote civic competence," as defined by the National Council for the Social Studies...
sections. While the Ohio Department of Education began administering practice tests to students in 2002, the first official OGT was given in March 2005.
Like other state
high-stakes testsA high-stakes test is a test with important consequences for the test taker. Passing has important benefits, such as a high school diploma, a scholarship, or a license to practice a profession...
, the OGT has received criticism because of the lower passing rate for
ethnic minorityA minority is a sociological group that does not constitute a politically dominant voting majority of the total population of a given society. A sociological minority is not necessarily a numerical minority — it may include any group that is subnormal with respect to a dominant group in terms of...
and
poorPoverty is the condition of lacking basic human needs such as nutrition, clean water, health care, clothing, and shelter because of the inability to afford them. This is also referred to as absolute poverty or destitution...
students, who are not able to obtain a
high school diplomaA high school diploma is a diploma awarded for the completion of high school. In the United States and Canada, it is considered the minimum education required for government jobs and higher education...
if they fail the OGT.
The OGT has an extremely high level of security regarding access to the testing material. There are no set passing score levels announced, although so-called "cut" scores are between 40 and 50 percent.
The tests include
multiple-choiceMultiple choice is a form of assessment in which respondents are asked to select the best possible answer out of the choices from a list. The multiple choice format is most frequently used in educational testing, in market research, and in elections-- when a person chooses between multiple...
(one point), short-answer (two points), and extended response (four points) questions. The non-writing sections consist of 44 items (some of which are "field test" questions which are used for research and do not count toward a student's score).
CalculatorA calculator is a device that is used for performing mathematical calculations. It differs from a computer by having a limited problem solving ability and an interface optimized for interactive calculation rather than programming...
s designed especially for the test are allowed for the math and science sections. The writing test consists of two
essayAn essay is usually a short piece of writing. It is often written from an author's personal point of view. Essays can be literary criticism, political manifestos, learned arguments, observations of daily life, recollections, and reflections of the author....
s, 10 multiple-choice questions, and one short-answer (as of 2006 - present). Students have two and half hours to take each section, with the exception of those students granted additional time because of an
IEPIn the United States an Individualized Education Plan, commonly referred to as an IEP, is mandated by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act...
,
504 PlanSection 504 of the 1973 Rehabilitation Act, Pub. L. No. 93-112, 87 Stat. 394 , codified at et seq., is American legislation that guarantees certain rights to people with disabilities. Section 504 is widely recognized as the first civil-rights statute for persons with disabilities. It took effect...
, or LEP status.
In March 2008, the
activistActivism, in a general sense, can be described as intentional action to bring about social change, political change, economic justice, or environmental wellbeing...
,
perennial candidateA perennial candidate is one who frequently runs for public office with a record of success that is either infrequent or non-existent. Perennial candidates are often either members of minority political parties or have political opinions that are not mainstream. They may run not with any serious...
, and former
98 Degrees98 Degrees was an American adult contemporary boy band consisting of four vocalists: brothers Nick and Drew Lachey, Justin Jeffre, and Jeff Timmons. The group was formed by Timmons in Los Angeles, California....
singer
Justin JeffreJustin Jeffre is a former child and a member of multi-platinum group 98 Degrees.-Career:98 Degrees is a Grammy-nominated vocal group that was formed independently and later signed to the Motown label in the mid-1990s. Other band members were Nick Lachey, Drew Lachey, and Jeff Timmons. 98 Degrees...
filed a formal letter of complaint asserting the OGT is "unfair" according to guidelines set forth in the Ohio Administrative Code.
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External links