Exit-exam deal struck for students with disabilities

Approximately 25,000 California high school students with disabilities in this year's graduating class likely will be exempt from passing the state's exit exam under an agreement announced Thursday by leaders of the Legislature, state Department of Education and the governor's education office.

After several weeks of negotiation, officials agreed to put a bill by Sen. Gloria Romero, D-Los Angeles, on a fast track that will free high school seniors in special education from passing the controversial math and English exam that is a graduation requirement this year for the first time.

Alan Bersin, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's secretary of education, said he expects the governor to sign the bill. The move will settle one piece of a five-year-old lawsuit against the state alleging that students with disabilities can't be required to pass the exit exam because they have not been taught the material on the test.

Melissa Kasnitz, an attorney for the disability-rights group that brought the suit, said she supports the legislation as a solution for this year's graduating class. But she said it does nothing to settle the entire lawsuit, which also seeks changes for students with disabilities in future classes.