Ohio Graduation Test

The Ohio Graduation Test (OGT) is the high school graduation examination given to sophomores in the U.S. state of Ohio. Students must pass all five sections (reading, writing, mathematics, science and social studies) in order to graduate. Students have multiple chances to pass these sections and can still graduate without passing each using the alternative pathway. In 2009, the Ohio legislature passed an education reform bill eliminating the OGT in favor of a new assessment system. The development and transition to this new assessment system will take several years.

Prior to the OGT, passing the ninth grade proficiency test was required for graduation beginning with the class of 1994. It had the same five subjects, apart from the social studies test was referred to as the citizenship test.

In 2001, the Ohio legislature directed the Ohio Department of Education (ODE) to develop the OGT based on the soon-to-be-adopted academic content standards. The first official OGT was given in March 2005. It replaced the ninth grade proficiency test as a graduation requirement for the class of 2006. The last administration of the ninth grade proficiency test was in 2005.

Questions are developed by ODE staff, sent through committees, and placed on exams before official inclusion on the OGT. First, the Content Advisory Committee runs the ODE developed question past parents and educators to see if it addresses the content. Second, the Fairness Sensitivity Review Committee helps ensure that questions are fair and do not put any student at a disadvantage because of a student’s moral values, social status, or religious beliefs. Third, the question is field tested. It is placed on an exam, but does not count towards the score of the student. Finally, the committees evaluate the performance data and decide if the question is to be used.

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