Posted on 02/28/2005 3:51:30 AM PST by Theodore R.
La., 12 other states agree to raise high school standards
By BEN FELLER AP education writer
WASHINGTON -- A coalition of 13 states confirmed plans Sunday to require tougher high school courses and diploma requirements, changes that could affect about one in three students.
The announcement is the most tangible sign that the nation's governors, gathered in the capital for a summit on improving high schools, want to see that progress quickly.
The participating states have committed to making their core high school classes and tests more rigorous, and to match their graduation standards with the expectations of employers and colleges. They also pledged to hold colleges more accountable for ensuring students graduate.
Such changes would require time and significant legislative and political work, as teachers unions, school boards, legislatures and parents would be affected. Governors, state school chiefs and business executives will lead the efforts in each state.
"This is the biggest step states can take to restore the value of the high school diploma," said Republican Gov. Bob Taft of Ohio, who co-chairs Achieve, which is coordinating the effort.
The states are Arkansas, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Texas.
Their network will aim to enforce the American Diploma Project, an effort launched last year to prepare every high school student for college-level work.
It calls for big changes -- requiring every student to take rigorous math and English regardless of career plans, and tying college admissions to high school exit exams, as examples.
States will maintain the option to adopt what they want, but they have agreed to broad points, such as requiring students to take a test of their readiness for college or work.
Michael Casserly, executive director of a coalition of urban school districts known as the Council of the Great City Schools, learned of the news at the meeting.
While applauding the goal, he said: "Much of this conversation is taking place at a very elevated and removed level. At some point, it's going to have to be brought down to the ground, to the local folks."
The participating states serve an estimated 5 million high school students, or about 35 percent of the public high school population in the United States, Achieve spokesmen said.
Achieve President Michael Cohen, a former education adviser to President Clinton, said the group recruited states that seemed most serious about higher standards and poised to act. Other states are expected to join the effort soon, said Taft.
Also Sunday, six foundations announced a $42 million effort to help states pay for their high school policies -- $23 million in private money, with the rest to be matching public grants.
The action comes as the governors deal with what they consider a crisis in American education. About one-third of students don't graduate on time, just as more jobs are requiring college-level skills and the nation's standing in such fields as math and science is slipping.
The weekend session on high schools drew most of the nation's governors, in town for a four-day meeting that includes discussions with President Bush.
New Education Secretary Margaret Spellings went before the governors to tout Bush's budget proposal and commend the state leaders for making high school achievement a national priority.
"Getting every child to graduate high school with a meaningful diploma in their hands is one of the biggest challenges our country faces," Spellings said Sunday. "It's never been done. That's why there is push-back from both sides of the political spectrum. In Washington, like your state capitals, when both sides grumble, it means you're doing something right."
Bush, seeking to expand the No Child Left Behind law he championed, wants Congress to require two years of additional state testing in high schools. The governors on Tuesday are expected to approve a policy that does not endorse or oppose Bush's idea but spells out their conditions: input on the plan, flexibility on how it works, and federal money for any costs.
On Sunday, governors met in small groups with educators, researchers and business executives to brainstorm high school ideas.
Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell called for a national campaign to educate people about the struggles of high school and to build support for solutions, including more spending.
He and other leaders said the media could help spread the message. Then, as that session closed and governors began their final one, they closed it to the media.
On the Net:
They lowered the score needed to pass.
"It calls for big changes -- requiring every student to take rigorous math and English regardless of career plans, and tying college admissions to high school exit exams, as examples."
The New Orleans school system is in big trouble.
"The New Orleans school system is in big trouble"
Then entire N.O. apparatus is in big trouble if they, the powers that be, don't get the school system fixed and soon!
"Then entire N.O. apparatus is in big trouble if they, the powers that be, don't get the school system fixed and soon!"
Based on past performance, I'd say the chances are zero to nil.
I am beginning to believe (at last) if these problems could be corrected by conventional means, they would have been remedied decades ago. The new policies will be the "same ol', same ol'" failure in my indication. The proposed changes will be unpopular with administrators who fear loss of tax revenues and many parents too who do not want "little Johnny" subject to so much pressure.
As to more Federal money for NCLB, tell 'em no! The Feds set standards for testing - in the business world: metrics - trying to get schools to recognize that they need to gauge the efficacy of their programs. If a school can't test or teach the basics, what makes them think they are entitled to more of another state's money?
If a school can't test or teach the basics, what makes them think they are entitled to more of another state's money?
Well that approach has worked so far: a school system claims it cannot perform its stated duties because it is short of funding. And the funds keep on coming, and the duties never get done!
"a school system claims it cannot perform its stated duties because it is short of funding. And the funds keep on coming, and the duties never get done!"
Lack of money is always the excuse of inept educators. It is seldom the case. And I agree with the previous poster that a well run vocational program should be available to those that don’t wish to go to college. But, no matter which path a person chooses the basics are always necessary.
Great. The governors want more rigor for high school students, so that's where they make the demands. You can't mandate that high schoolers take rigorous coursework if they aren't prepared for it from elementary school on up. Trust me when I say that what goes on at elementary schools doesn't prepare students for rigorous study. Right now, high school teachers are stuck with what gets sent to them-- too many unprepared students.
"Right now, high school teachers are stuck with what gets sent to them-- too many unprepared students."
When I was in high school (the dark ages), if you couldn't pass the work then you failed. Perhaps if we went back to that policy things would get fixed.
I'm curious. Do you know what the quality of the teachers and administrators in New Orleans is?
It's not "little Johnny" I worry about. The teachers union in my state will fight it tooth and nail, just like they fight everything else.
Public education is circling the drain. The politicians just don't want to admit it yet.
It CAN be corrected by conventional means.
If, they had the sense to teach the three R's again, in elementary grades.(like they did in the 'old days') Those three R's make for a SOLID foundation to build on.
Whole language, fuzzy math and teaching to a test aren't good ways to educate kids.
"I'm curious. Do you know what the quality of the teachers and administrators in New Orleans is?"
It's a mistake to paint with a broad brush. I have no first hand knowledge. However, based on newspaper accounts, the fact that some have actually been fired, and friends in the know, it is clear that many are not qualified.
I did a study in the mid 80s for incoming freshmen to the University of New Orleans. Of public school students, 2/3rs of them were remedial in math or English, and a large portion, about half, I think were double remedial. These numbers included two magnet schools that had numbers where most of the students were prepared and did not need the remediation. This was not a complete study of all graduating students, just an analysis of all incoming freshmen from the New Orleans area going to UNO probably for the year 86, and all I did was compile the data for my boss.
But that, and years of teaching adults in the New Orleans area taught me that the state standards were set too low. It wasn't unusual for a student to have graduated with honors, yet needed remediation in college.
My knowledge is out of date, being in the late 80s and early 90s, but I bet things haven't changed that much yet!
But
And interesting and related situation, perhaps connected to the rotten "No child left behind" money sucking government program promoted by Ted Kennedy and signed by Bush, is this: A good friend's daughter joined the National Guard, and barely squeaked in, although she has highly superior qualifications in every way.
Why?
She was homeschooled. Apparently (and this is confirmed by another friend's homeschooling teacher, who works for the state of CA in a charter school) the military no longer will accept GEDS - which is often the only diploma homeschooled kids have.
Is this an effort to marginalize homeschooled students?
Holy crow!
Another point is this. Have any of you actually read any school text books lately? I have, and they are 100% crapola. Socialist/feminist/moral relavist/dumbed down pablum guaranteed to make intelligent kids bored and stupid.
I homeschooled a number of kids over the years and have taught quite a few kids to read. School text books are total junk, and they are transparent in their attempt to indoctrinate and indeed, render the minds of students dull and unable to think logically and rationally.
Add to the that the huge number of kids dosed up with Ritalin, and it's clear that homeschooling is the only way to go.
"it's clear that homeschooling is the only way to go"
Whereas this can be true, it requires a committed, and educated parent with the available time. Therefore home schooling is realistic for only a small percentage.
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