About 250 Cherokee County students will find out in the coming weeks whether they passed the state’s high school Exit Exam.

Students must pass the English Language Arts and mathematics section of the High School Assessment Program (HSAP) in order to receive a high school diploma. The tests are initially given in the spring to students in their second year of high school.

The school district has given the Exit Exam over the past week to student transfers from out of state and county students who need additional opportunities to pass the test.

“Most of our students pass the Exit Exam on the first attempt,” district testing coordinator Kathy Phillips said. “We have several students from New York, Georgia and other states who have moved into the area this year. These students have to pass the Exit Exam in order to earn a high school diploma.”

About half of the states nationwide require high school students pass an exam and earn a specific number of course credits for a diploma.

South Carolina also requires students to earn 24 high school credits to graduate. Some states require as few as 14 credits.

The Cherokee County School District has made high school graduation rates a major point of emphasis in recent years.

Gaffney High has improved its graduation rate from 62.8 percent in 2007 to 77.1 percent in 2008. Blacksburg High improved its graduation rate from 80 percent to 84.7 percent over the same period.

The school district has started a new graduation assistance program this fall.

Teachers and school administrators are working on a daily basis to mentor 120 at-risk students. An electronic data system has been developed to help the district track students’ progress toward completing graduation requirements.

The Cherokee County School District is exploring whether the new graduation assistance program qualifies for a “Race to the Top” grant, superintendent Dr. Bill James said. The grant is part of a U.S. Department of Education focus on promoting school innovation in public schools.

“Our ultimate goal is to see students graduate from high school,” James said. “We think the graduation assistance program is an innovative idea which will help more students be successful in school.”