By: Arthur Hall
Submitted: 2010-10-31 13:04:54 | Word Count: 499
With more graduation requirements each year, how can students possibly graduate two years early and move on to college? A new carrot will be dangling as incentive to work hard and graduate early.
State Board Exams for High School Graduation Requirement
Many professions require a state board exam. Three states (Massachusetts, Utah and New Hampshire) are changing their high school structures to allow students to graduate early and begin college. Students will be allowed to take a state board exam and if they pass, they move on to college without taking required classes. After passing, students could take challenging college prep classes or enter college. What if they don’t pass? They study the areas that were weak on the test and take the exam again.
High School Graduation Requirements
[ advertisement ]
Most high schools have two levels of education. One level is the minimum required to graduate. This is not good college preparation but what is required for graduation. The second level is the college-prep route. Students incorporate the more challenging classes into their high school schedule. This new proposal would split the two. Students could take an exam and pass out of many classes.
Many schools reject requests for students to graduate early. The major reason is the loss of funding when the child graduates. There is rarely thought given to what is best for the child. It is a funding issue.
Irrelevance and Boredom in High School
Many dropouts state their major reasons for dropping out were irrelevance and boredom. Professionals in education know that unchallenged bright students drop out every day. Motivation wanes when students are not challenged and it also fades quickly when students are challenged far beyond abilities.
National Center on Education and the Economy
Marc Tucker, co-chair of the New Commission on the Skills of the American Workforce, says, "These states see clearly that the age of incremental change has not been working, and they are working to create new systems that will produce vastly better results." The NCSAW is urging schools to prepare workers to be competitive in the 21st-century global economy.
Tough Choices or Tough Times
The National Center on Education and the Economy outlined many changes in its 2006 report, "Tough Choice or Tough Times." It called for
restructuring school systems to save money
redirecting those savings toward underfunded areas
raising teacher salaries
ensuring that children have the supports they need to be successful
giving teachers more control over their work that other professionals have
dismantling the traditional teacher pension system.
Education in Other Countries
This restructuring would allow funds to be reserved for foreign consultants. The commission would research how other countries teach. Many countries use an exit exam but also a series of assignments graded by teachers. The combination of the two would determine if a student was able to graduate.
The 21st century will need students with creativity and analytical skills. The present system does not provide students trained in these areas entering the work force. Massachusetts, Utah and New Hampshire will be states to watch in the near future.
