SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California lawmakers are sending Gov. Jerry Brown a bill to rescue about 5,000 high school students who couldn’t graduate this year because the state canceled a required exit exam.
SB725 by Oakland Democratic Sen. Loni Hancock passed its final vote Monday with unanimous bipartisan support.
The problem developed when the state Department of Education allowed its contract to lapse with Educational Testing Service, which provides the exam.
The department had expected lawmakers to pass separate legislation suspending the examination as the state shifts to new tests adopting Common Core standards for math and English.
Without the test, or a change in state law, lawmakers say the 5,000 students may be unable to enroll in college or join the military.
Brown says he will sign the bill.
