Posted on 05/26/2006 10:12:25 PM PDT by SmithL
A state court of appeals has decided against ruling on the high school exit exam before graduation, dealing what seems a final blow to 47,000 high school seniors who flunked the test required for a diploma.
On Thursday, the appellate court scheduled oral arguments for July 25, more than a month after most students would have donned a cap and gown. Lawyers for students suing over the test asked justices to settle the issue of diplomas now, reserving the right to decide the merits of the case later.
Friday afternoon, the court denied the request. Arturo Gonzalez, the lawyer representing five Richmond High School students, said he would continue to fight the case at the July 25 hearing.
"This case is far from over," Gonzalez said in a statement.
As of last count, 47,000 California seniors, or 11 percent statewide, had failed the exam.
In February, five Richmond High School students joined a suit claiming that the state did not provide an equal chance for all students to learn the material. On May 12, an Alameda Superior Court judge ruled in their favor.
On Wednesday, the state Supreme Court stayed the decision and ordered the appellate court to hash out a ruling.
Superintendent of Schools Jack O'Connell said he welcomed the appeals' court decision to stick with the original timetable.
"School districts throughout California now have certainty, and should proceed with graduation exercises for the Class of 2006 as planned before the exit exam was challenged in court," O'Connell said in a release.
Yeah. 89% of the kids passed the test. What teachers did they have? I wonder how these percentages break down by school system, ethnic class and each teacher. If most of the kids of each teacher pass the exit exam, that seems to mean that it is the kid's fault/stupidity that caused him to fail.
If 89% of the kids in a class pass, with the same teacher, why is it the fault of the teacher if 11% don't pass, when they are in the same class, receiving the same instruction? Now, if most of a particular teacher's classes fail, that is different.
Most of the time the teachers don't get free reign in deciding whether to pass or fail kids. They are directed by the school system to pass most of the kids, whether they achieve or not.
Quick...someone check the Senate's Amnesty Bill and see if Kennedy and McCain didn't include guaranteed high school diplomas to children of illegal aliens. If not, I'm sure that it's an oversight that they'll fix before final passage.
"They are directed...to pass the students, whether they fail or not" which is precisely why the states have had to institute state achievement tests. School boards want to be re-elected and don't want irate parents after their scalps, so they pressure teachers through the principals to pass even the weakest students, thus making a high school diploma worthless.
Show her these. Any high school senior who can't score a 60% on these definitely doesn't deserve a diploma.
Interesting concept, but I doubt it. It's more likely that the teachers are backing the suits.
I've said on these threads before, the suit is meritless - there is no need to "prepare" for the exam. 12 years of education should be enough "preparation".
Flunk the 47,000 students, and fire the stupid teachers!
To be fair... Is it always the teacher's fault if his/her student fails a graduation exam? The teachers are generally under pressure* by the school administrators to pass even the weakest students.
*And by pressure, I mean with the threat of losing their jobs.""
I want to see the following statistics on these 47,000 kids:
What are their attendance records??? Many kids don't attend school with any thought that it matters. Parents aren't plugged in, and teachers cannot force them to attend.
What are the criminal records of these kids? I will bet that they aren't choir boys and girls. Killing time - and often each other- these kids haven't had true consequences for their actions since they sucked at moma's nipple. The ACLU has made it impossible for parents to put any discpline into their lives. They have no dress codes at schools. Grades are often graded on the curve, so if the best test score is a 64 out of 100, then 64 becomes "A" and everything falls down from there. a 36 could become a "D". Grading on the curve is the most dangerous method, IMO, because the level of expectations gets lower and lower.
When these "graduates" get into the work force, their employers won't be grading them "on the curve", so they will be useless, clueless, and unemployable. I am glad I am no longer employing people.
Just a wonderful reward for tax payers who funded their "education" for 13 years, isn't it?????
You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him learn to speak English and learn basic math while he's dealing drugs in the boy's room.""
Agreed- but he learns enough of both to conduct the business at hand, doesn't he???
In any event- he is unemployable.
I absolutely agree with your assertions. First, the tests are FAR from demanding. Apparently many 9th graders pass it. But if 89% of the kids pass, it probably is NOT the teaching, unless the 11% come from the same schools, year after year, and those schools have an extremely high fail rate. Parents have a duty to follow the progress of their children. It is not that hard to do. Start with the report card. Look at homework grades. Ask what the child is doing in school. We all know why these kids aren't making it. Their parents don't really care. They may say they care, but they don't.
Wow! The test is even easier than I thought. The math section is extremely simplistic. The reading comprehension section is laughable. If they're trying to test whether a student can get the gist of an unknown word by the context in which it is used , they need to pick a harder word than "retrieve". What is this, elementary school?
Ping
> The problem should be caught long before graduation though.
Yes.
> If the principal or superintendent is forcing teachers to pass failing students, they need to be fired.
Yes, BUT... EVEN IF the school pushes the kids ahead when they don't deserve it, the parents should STILL KNOW when their kids are behind:
1. Aren't they checking the kids grades? Don't they at least have to sign off on report cards? If they aren't, shouldn't they be wondering why they aren't?
2. Don't they meet with their teachers at least once a term?
3. Don't they have a dialog with their kid about the schoolwork, homework, and projects they're doing? At least once a week or once a month?
This is all stuff a good parent who actually TAKES RESPONSIBILITY for their kid does. If the first clue they have that their precious spawn is not doing their job in school is that they fail the freakin HIGH SCHOOL EXIT EXAM, they are NEGLIGENT, LAZY, OR STUPID PARENTS.
Get it?
"OK, so you think socialism is the solution. So the fact that in a few cases the Liberal (Florida) courts have killed it, not on the basis of whether it works, but on supposed constitutional grounds means makes sense?"
You've got to be kidding. Socialism? Who said anything about socialism?
I'm generally in favor of vouchers in the theoretical sense. The problem is that in America circa 2006, they just aren't gonna happen. The courts have and will continue to knock them down. I think they've also been scuttled in Ohio and Arizona. I'd much prefer to pursue something that might actually make it past the courts.
The theoretical problems that I have with vouchers are (1) they tend to be the camel's nose in the tent with regard to imposing curricula. He who pays the piper calls the tune. And (2) I haven't seen a voucher program proposed that would allow the funds to be used for home schooling.
Hence, my preference for child tax credits. Give parents back their tax money and let them use it as they see fit to educate their children.
I don't see how that would be considered a "socialist" solution.
The California exit exam was specifically designed to test competence regarding 8th grade material.
A 60% score on 8th grade material seems little enough to ask...
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