San Diego Union Tribune, editorial, 5-11-2016

The California State Board of Education grudgingly adopted measures to gauge student progress — forced to do so to ensure California receives federal education aid.

Under the proposal before the State Board of Education, beginning in fall 2017, schools will be evaluated on high school graduation rates; student results in English and math Common Core tests; gains made by English-language learners; and student suspension rates. Test scores in third-grade reading and eighth-grade math would be given additional emphasis.

Eight education reform groups consider this inadequate at best. They wrote a joint letter to the board last week depicting the standards as putting far too much emphasis on high school graduation and having no emphasis on college and career readiness, contrary to a 2012 state law.

But the board is unlikely to heed the reformers. Too bad. The California education status quo may not be impressive — but it is resilient.