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| Economist Dr. Walter Williams' latest piece on Education paints a bleak picture of the value of "Higher Graduation Rates" |
Monday's PNJ print edition had an article that was published last Wednesday by economist Walter Williams.
It is a stark assessment of our nation's public school performance as measured on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) aka the "Nation's Report Card"
The reason this caught my attention was that recently our local graduation rate has soared to heights we've never seen before--however I have a hard time squaring that reality with the problem that business owners I have spoken with complain about.....Many High School graduates (some of them--NOT all of them) locally have difficulty in written-communication skill and basic arithmetic.GRADUATES.
It is true, a higher and higher percentage of our students locally and nationwide are "graduating" from High School. So what does this mean?
Could this be a lot like the discipline referral numbers going down- lauded by administrators as "progress" toward better behavior in our schools-when in actuality behavior expectations AND punishments are being watered down to produce such numbers?
I know to some this sounds awfully cynical--but I'm sorry. The hard truth is that there is honesty in this hard hitting column--like it or not.
from the piece:
"Only 37 percent of 12th-graders tested proficient or better in reading, and only 25 percent did so in math. Among black students, only 17 percent tested proficient or better in reading, and just 7 percent reached at least a proficient level in math. The atrocious NAEP performance is only a fraction of the bad news. Nationally, our high school graduation rate is over 80 percent. That means high school diplomas, which attest that these students can read and compute at a 12th-grade level, are conferred when 63 percent are not proficient in reading and 75 percent are not proficient in math. For blacks, the news is worse. Roughly 75 percent of black students received high school diplomas attesting that they could read and compute at the 12th-grade level. However, 83 percent could not read at that level, and 93 percent could not do math at that level. It’s grossly dishonest for the education establishment and politicians to boast about unprecedented graduation rates when the high school diplomas, for the most part, do not represent academic achievement. At best, they certify attendance."
I think it's good to focus on small wins, and small gains. Life is baby steps. If a kid is showing up more, then that's good. So, in some ways we can focus on the positive. But at the same time, I do agree it can be dishonest to report numbers like that, and I was concerned about actual diplomas not being handed out and being told that they can walk. I do agree with this.
ReplyDeleteRaise the bar--equal treatment--no participation trophies--pass or fail--win or lose.
ReplyDeleteI don't get excited about "percentages" or "numbers" unless these percentages and numbers are related to objective, standardized assessments of student performance measuring specific subject area mastery--and only if the numbers and percentages are on an upward trajectory. The numbers or percentages I would truly be happy about would be if the number of high school "graduates" that get a diploma from our schools locally or the percentage of the graduates were demonstrating proficiency in English and Mathematics at the 12th grade level. Sadly, as Walter Williams' piece and the NAEP scores clearly indicate--standards are being watered down nationwide so bureaucrats can claim "victory" and proclaim "success" because the graduation rate is "increasing". But increasing the graduation rate by watering down standards and making so many waivers and exceptions to rules in order to get the maximum number of students "over the line" is disingenuous at best, fraudulent and borderline criminal at worst. Standards should be kept high and should be met in order for "graduates" to get the diploma---and when we water the standards down, lower the bar, and weaken the criteria for awarding H.S. Diplomas --which I argue we have done--- we are not doing the students any favors nor are we doing society or our schools' reputations any favors. It is a short-term political "fix" that only placates politicians and bureaucrats while patronizing the taxpayers and the students who have been betrayed. No, I'm not excited about "higher graduation rates" when it is a sham. The courageous way to approach this would be to ONLY issue diplomas to those students who truly earn the diploma by demonstrating mastery of the subject matter at the appropriate level. And yes, this would mean a lot of students would not earn diplomas, but would rather simply earn completion certificates for successfully completing seat time and attendance requirements. This would result in fewer "graduates" and a lower "graduation rate" but at least it would be an honest approach which beats these machinations and manipulations......
ReplyDeleteRight on superintendent ;) Bergosh. I was raised in DOD schools with not much TV and reading and trips to the library were my entertainment plus hard fought street kickball games and running around rusty playgrounds. (I did benefit from true life cultural road trips though) I returned to USA and had to attend an Escambia school for a while, they were covering things I learned three years in arrears, how boring and unchallenging and makes it ripe for misbehavior. The schools (DOD) overseas also had a program called IPI (I think) Individualized Programs with pre test, learning materials and post tests.. By the time I took my first standardized test in ninth grade, I scored 12 grade 9 month. (at age 15) I did similar things with my home schooled child and by seventh grade he scored same as a college bound senior. With two parents working, public school is the only option for some. Don't water it down and hold it back for others unwilling or unable to apply themselves to this business of what we call life. If you fail in school, you probably most certainly will fail in life. If you excel in school, you still may or may not fare perfectly. The responsibility is on the individual. Put it on them. Expect excellence.
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