MOUNT VERNON — The fall administration of the Ohio Graduation Tests starts today, and while Ohio students have been preparing for the tests for years, guest students from foreign countries have not. However, according to the law, foreign exchange students enrolled in Ohio high schools are required to participate in OGT examinations.
It is not a new law, as both the Ohio law and the federal No Child Left Behind legislation require testing for all students. However, it has been inconsistently enforced throughout the state, and the Ohio Department of Education recently reminded schools they must test all high school foreign exchange students, regardless of their English-language skills.
Most exchange students arrive in the schools in September, and by test time have had about nine weeks worth of instruction.
“We have one foreign exchange student this year from Norway,” said Mount Vernon High School Principal Kathy Kasler, “and yes, by law she will be tested to meet the participation requirement. Since she is not seeking a MVHS diploma, she will not have to pass all sections to meet graduation requirements.”
