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Home / Washington Business - July/August 2003 / Washington needs to make high school diploma is meaningful |
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Washington needs to make high school diploma is meaningful |
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Written On: July/August 2003 |
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Written By: |
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Education reform is working in our state. In the last decade, Washington has created high quality academic standards and one of the best assessment systems in the nation.
More importantly, more students are achieving at higher levels. Gains are being made by students who have been historically least well served by public schools. The achievement gap, although still significant, is showing signs of closing. This is great progress.
The last decade of education reform has not been easy. Policymakers, school administrators, teachers and parents have had to rethink the traditional delivery of schooling and reassess their roles in student preparation. The system is evolving to ensure that every student is challenged and has the opportunity to achieve core academic standards. We are by no means finished.
Why is this so important? Recent studies indicate that many graduates are not adequately prepared for college. In Washington, at least one-third of high school graduates who go to community college require remediation in English or math. Too many students are not prepared for the modern workforce either. One recent study showed that 60 percent of jobs created in the first half of this century will require skills that only 20 percent of the population currently possesses.
Students need to achieve reading, writing and mathematics skills before leaving the K-12 system. Science and civics are also vitally important. Without this knowledge, students will be shut out of promising opportunities and relegated to low-skilled, dead-end jobs, and those jobs will be scarce.
The proportion of American jobs classified as “unskilled” has dropped precipitously, from 80 percent in 1950 to a projected 12 percent in 2006.
Washington must continue on a deliberate path toward ensuring every student receives a strong education and achieves the basic skills needed to succeed after high school.
The first priority: make the diploma meaningful. Washington must meet its obligation to students by moving from a process-oriented graduation system (based primarily on seat-time) to one that requires students demonstrate skills and knowledge in core subjects. Students deserve a diploma that allows them to step onto the first rung of the ladder to opportunities and economic advancement.
Washington is on track to implement WASL reading, writing and mathematics requirements as one condition for graduation beginning with the class of 2008 (next year’s eighth graders). Research shows the WASL is the most valid and reliable means we have to ensure students master basic skills before leaving the K-12 system. By meeting these standards, students will graduate with more meaningful diplomas that signify they are better prepared for the world that waits.
The 10th grade WASL cannot be a one-shot deal. Students should have multiple opportunities to retake sections of the WASL where they have not met the standard. Targeted assistance in problem areas should also be available.
Diligent students who attend class regularly and make a concerted effort but do not meet the 10th grade standard in one or more subjects after at least two attempts must be allowed to demonstrate achievement in other ways. Some students may not perform well on tests. Dedicated students deserve another option.
Preparing students will also require an overhaul of teacher preparation, certification and development. The compensation and assignment system should be based on knowledge, skills and performance. Washington has a talented and diverse group of teachers who should be rewarded for enhanced performance and responsibility.
Previously unimagined opportunities await high school graduates who achieve critical thinking and problem solving skills rooted in basic reading, writing and mathematics. A life of low-paying jobs and minimal advancement awaits students who don’t. It is our obligation to prepare every student for that more rewarding path.
Steve Mullin is vice-president of the Washington Roundtable, a statewide public policy organization, and secretary/treasurer of the Partnership for Learning. He has been involved in the statewide education reform effort for more than a decade.
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