|
|
|
 |
|
Home / Washington Business - February 2006 / Opinion: The WASL |
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
Opinion: The WASL |
|
|
|
Written On: February 2006 |
|
|
|
Written By: by Steve Mullin |
|
|
|
Steve Mullin is president of Washington Roundtable, a nonprofit public policy organization comprised of chief executives representing major Washington employers.
Ask parents what they want most for their children, and you'll get a universal response — happiness.
And one thing of which I'm quite sure, being trapped in a dead-end job while trying to raise a family is not a recipe for happiness.
However, too often that is exactly what happens to students who graduate from high school today without basic reading, writing and math skills. We know all too well that quality career and continued learning opportunities for those low-skilled graduates are nearly nonexistent. Too often those students end up bouncing around low-wage jobs or spending money on remedial community college courses, frustrated as their dreams slip away.
To avoid this trap and really have a shot at a full and rewarding life, every student needs to achieve at a higher level in high school than what has been accepted in the past. At a minimum, they need to be able to read and write coherently and compute basic algebra.
That is why Washington’s education standards and new graduation requirements exist. Developed primarily by teachers — through an extensive and thoughtful process — the high school standards represent the basic skills every young person needs. The Washington Assessment of Student Learning is the tool used to measure if students have achieved those standards. For the first time in 2008, students will be required to demonstrate achievement of those standards in order to earn a diploma.
Let's be clear, though. While the new graduation requirement sets a higher expectation for all students than has been required in the past, these standards are by no means high, and achieving them alone does not mean a student is college or workforce ready.
Students are first tested on the standards in the 10th grade (with multiple opportunities to retest in 11th and 12th grades), but the test assesses what many eighth-graders are doing in other countries. These expectations are reasonable and, in reality, students will likely need much higher skills to be successful after high school.
That is why the Washington Roundtable, along with a broad group of education and business organizations, fully supports asking students to meet the WASL's reading, writing and math requirement in order to graduate in 2008; adding science in 2010. We support this expectation because we know students need these basic skills and we also believe they can achieve them. In fact, every student should be encouraged to go well beyond the standards tested on the WASL.
Some students may struggle with the format of the exam. They should have an opportunity to demonstrate their skills in a different form. We support the 2006 Legislature’s efforts to approve an alternative comparable in rigor to the 10th-grade WASL for students who have taken the exam at least twice, but have not yet performed at the required level.
We also know that some students will need additional academic help. We support Gov. Christine Gregoire's proposal to provide additional funding in the 2006 supplemental budget for targeted academic help, especially for students from diverse ethnic and economic backgrounds.
The progress our students have already made indicates they can and will rise to this challenge. Achievement among all students, and in every ethnic group, has risen significantly in the years since the WASL has been administered. It will only increase as we give students more opportunities to demonstrate their skills and as we invest in academic help for those most in need.
That is what happened in Massachusetts, a state that implemented a similar graduation requirement in 2003. Ninety-four percent or more of each class required to meet higher standards in Massachusetts has succeeded. The small percentage of students unable to meet standards before the end of senior year has access to aligned community college programs where they can continue to pursue a diploma. Students here should have access to similar programs as well.
Students across all ethnic groups and income levels in Massachusetts are achieving and graduating with better skills. And the drop-out rate among ethnic minority groups has declined since the requirement went into effect. That can happen here.
Expecting more from all students and aligning instruction to help them reach and exceed those expectations is the only way to make sure they get the skills they need. It can’t be done without the graduation requirement. The requirement is the one factor that motivates schools to focus on learning for all students and motivates all students to take learning seriously.
Washington cannot shrink from this challenge. If we do, it will be tantamount to giving up on students and the skills we know they need. Now is the time to believe that all students can learn and achieve. Now is the time to give them the assistance they need to get there. We all benefit from a better educated citizenry.
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
