The report draws from Center on Education Policy's eight-year study of high school exit exams to identify long-term trends in state policies and student performance. It highlights a growing trend among states to establish alternate pathways to graduation for students who are struggling to pass exit exams. The report also analyzes exit exam pass rates and finds that 11 of the 16 states showed an average annual growth in the proportion of students passing the test in reading and 13 states showed average annual growth in mathematics. Although many states narrowed the gaps in initial pass rates between the various student subgroups over the years, the gaps remain large in both subjects. Appended are: (1) Studies of High School Exit Exams in 2009; (2) Methods of Study; and (3) Interview Protocols. (Contains 2 figures, 8 tables and 34 footnotes.) [The recommendations in this report were co-authored by Jack Jennings.]