New York students will be able to graduate from high school without passing Regents exams, the state education department proposes. They'll be offered alternatives such as projects, presentations or “performance-based assessments," writes Troy Closson in the New York Times.
Currently, most students must pass Regents exams in English, math, science and social studies, he writes. Some retake the tests four or five times to earn a passing score, and critics say the requirement "may have led more low-income and Black students to drop out." Betty Rosa, the state education commissioner, said the state wants to tackle graduation “through the lens of students” who have faced barriers in “access and opportunities.
In short, rather than try to improve students' mastery of reading, writing, math, science and social studies, educators want to make it easier for those who can't pass the exams to get a diploma.
Exit exams have fallen out of favor across the country, because disadvantaged, black and Hispanic students have lower pass rates, Closson notes. "In Massachusetts, the teachers’ union has backed a bill to end the state’s exam mandate." However, "after Oregon said students would not need to show proficiency in reading, writing and math to graduate, many parents argued a diploma would lose value."
David Steiner, a former New York state education commissioner, said he worries over the “catastrophic disconnect” between students’ post-high school plans and their incentives to have mastered material to achieve them. . . . when we stop telling ourselves the truth about how our students are doing, the only people we damage is our students.”
In many states, said Steiner, "what used to be called 'failing' is now 'passing'."
Changing graduation requirements could turn a diploma into "just a piece of paper," said Jacquelyn Martell, executive director of Education Reform Now New York, in a statement. “Graduation needs to put our students on the path to success or they are doomed to failure.”
The advisory commission also recommended adding requirements in areas such as “cultural competence,” financial literacy and writing skills and broadening access to career and technical education, reports Chalkbeat's Julian Shen-Berro.
Currently, students can earn a "local," "Regents" or "advanced Regents" diploma, based on the number of tests passed and test scores. The commission recommended moving to a single diploma with "seals" for advanced work.
The commission report developed a “portrait of a graduate,” writes Shen-Berro. The attributes "included critical thinking, effective communication, cultural and social-emotional competences, innovative problem solving, literacy across content areas, and a status as a 'global citizen'.”
Golly, that would be nice. Innovative problem solvers! But not on exams.
"Educrats are not fooling anyone," writes Wai Wah Chin in the New York Post. They are "painting 'equity' lipstick on a dumbed-down-diploma pig."
My late mother had a great idea. We should give everyone a high-school diploma at birth, so that the people actually in class will be the people who are there to learn. Our parents used to say "There won't be any graduation gifts or celebrations. You'd have to make a concerted effort to NOT graduate from high school. In fact our advice is to get all of your required classes out of the way as fast as possible. Because basically your senior year is just wasting time until the prom." Our mother graduated HS at 14. Our Father at 16. this was in the 1920s and early 30s.
"Through the lens of" ranks down there with "at the intersection of" among the worst pseudo-intellectual gibberish phrases that hacks use to try to sound intelligent.
Of course New York wants to do this.
If their students get too educated they'll figure out how the New York government is screwing them and they'll move out of state depriving the State of their tax dollars.
More and more, employers are going to test applicants before hiring them for skilled jobs. Indeed, it's already happening. "Skilled jobs" would include any office work -- indeed any job that requires some REAL "critical thinking." This required skillset might well include the use of "readin', writin' or 'rithmatic." Today a high school diploma doesn't even count as a participation trophy -- as the student in some schools and states often doesn't even have to show up, let alone participate.
Pretend there's no problem by getting rid of the test that shows the problem. Bravo.
--mrmillermathteacher