Penry: Keep school admission tough

The Daily Sentinel ^ | July 10, 2007 | MIKE SACCONE

[george76]

Two Republican lawmakers said they were “profoundly troubled” by the possibility that the Colorado Commission on Higher Education could soften admission requirements for public colleges and universities at a meeting today.

Sen. Josh Penry, R-Fruita, and Rep. Rob Witwer, R-Genesee, encouraged the commission to oppose diminishing or abandoning its 2010 public college university admission requirements when it meets today at the Colorado School of Mines in Golden.

“A decision to roll back CCHE’s rigorous college admission requirements would give Colorado the ignominious distinction of being the only state in the nation that is actually weakening educational standards at a time when America’s educational system struggles to keep pace with China, India and multitude other emerging global economic powers,”...

Both Penry and Witwer attempted during the 2007 legislative session to increase math and science graduation requirements for Colorado high school students.

The measure died March 22 in the House Education Committee despite bipartisan support in the Senate.

“Our kids deserve more from a system that is supposed to be preparing them for a dynamic and increasingly competitive global economy.”