Last week, I wrote broadly about Illinois’ new accountability plan, where the goals promised “a focus on equity and excellence for all students” but where the details appear to fall far, far short of that. Understanding this plan is not yet cast in stone, let’s look at one area where Illinois seeks to break new ground but only clears a… Read more →
Southern California Public Radio, KPCC, 3/14/16
The California State University is now using incoming freshmen’s test scores on the state’s new standardized tests to decide if students are ready for college level math and English or if they need to take remedial classes. The new requirement is leading CSU officials to urge 11th graders to take the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (Smarter Balanced) tests more seriously.
Based last year’s 11th grade Smarter Balanced scores, a large part of Cal State’s incoming class next fall will have to take some action this year to prove they’re ready for college work. Remediation – along with low graduation rates – became such a serious problem at Cal State campuses that Governor Jerry Brown used funding approval to compel the CSU to make improvements.
The New York Times recently decided it was time to admit the blindingly obvious. An article entitled “As Graduation Rates Rise, Experts Fear Diplomas Come Up Short” discusses the unmistakable link between declining academic standards and rising high school graduation rates. The article points out that more young men and women are graduating from high school thanks to the lazy… Read more →