Posted on 02/17/2010 7:23:03 AM PST by reaganaut1
In an experiment that could reshape American secondary education, high schools in eight states will introduce new courses next year, along with a battery of tests for sophomores, that will allow students who pass to get a diploma two years early and immediately enroll in community college.
Students who pass but aspire to attend a selective college may continue with college preparatory courses in their junior and senior years, organizers of the new effort said. Students who fail the 10th grade tests, known as board exams, can try again at the end of their 11th and 12th grades. The tests would cover not only English and math but other subjects like science and history.
The new system of high school coursework with the accompanying board examinations is modeled largely on systems in high-performing nations including Denmark, Finland, England, France and Singapore.
One of the goals of the program is to reduce the numbers of high school graduates who need remedial courses when they enroll in college. More than a million college freshmen across America must take remedial courses each year, and many drop out before getting a degree.
“That’s a central problem we’re trying to address, the enormous failure rate of these kids when they go to the open admission colleges,” said Marc S. Tucker, president of the National Center on Education and the Economy, a Washington-based nonprofit that is organizing the board exam effort. “We’ve looked at schools all over the world, and if you walk into a high school in the countries that use these board exams, you’ll see kids working hard, whether they want to be a carpenter or a brain surgeon.”
The 100 or so high schools participating in the initiative are pioneers in a pilot project
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
Some are and some aren’t emotionally mature. Let the ones that are out of HS and stop wasting their time, I would have LOVED this program and probably thrived, my husband - not so much.
The debate on this thread is a great start on the argument that there should be no US Department of Education. The quality of early and high-schoool education differs widely depending on how (and where) you school.
Been there, done it and got the T-shirt.
High School is for lamo’s. I found it boring and even turned in papers from earlier grades as the ground they were covering was identical.
Since it was and I had received A’s I thought why not. I’m a busy guy and if they want to repeat the same stuff from 3rd grade or 8th grade, “then here you go. Where’s my grade?”.
I received the same grade for turning in the same paper. Teachers and students alike ain’t that bright.
Though sometimes I wish I had learned Algebra but, I couldn’t see how it would ever fit into my life. It’s suppose to make you think through but most of it was pointless.
Funny thing is I used Algebraic equations in Mechanical drafting and had no problem with them, as they were useful.
What can I say about High School? Nothing.
I was glad to leave and do something else.
Now I is a high income earner and still don’t think the choice to leave was ill conceived.
Totally agree. At 15, I was in college, living on my own and never wanted to do anything except what I wanted to do.
Difference between me and those with pedigrees? I continue to read, work problems through and learn.
Learning is one of the great pleasures in life.
those dummies need to stay in school. Besides, it keeps them occupied with something to do.
My parents and grandparents did not have 12th grade. If leaving early is optional, then I say let the mature ones move on to college or learn a trade. Maybe it would free up the teachers to actually do their jobs and teach the remaining seniors.
I finished HS Early, was going to college 1.5 years before my graduation date. I just didn’t goof off in School, no “Study Halls” or Joke classes. I took all the math and science and English classes and graduated with all requirements. It was easy, first class in college was Chem and Geography along with LIT I, and Public Speaking. I did fine. Kids that are in AP and Finish all the College Prep and do well will have no problem. Others, well, they barely make it out of HS.
Sounds like a liberal’s solution to the problem-as the kids drop out, hand them a diploma- the drop out problem is solved.
How do you propose we deal with the dropout rate?
Just what colleges need ... a bunch of 16 year old girls....
I predict a surge in statutory rapes.
Maybe they will be prompted to start a business, or learn to appreciate the value of a dollar.
Congrats on her 4.0...my kid wasn't that diligent, LOL. He maintained around a 3.6-3.8 for all of his college career, but had a saying "B's earn degrees too"...with which he'd placate us if he received a B in a class.
The dual credit program was well thought of, and our son had no problem being accepted into a university to finish his Bachelors and then into grad school to earn his Masters. Plus it really streamlined the education process, he graduated w/his BA at 19, and his Masters at 21. In his circle of friends, I probably know 10, maybe 15, kids who have gone the same route. Our local CC now has what they call a Collegiate High School, right on the grounds of the CC, and the kids have a place to go during breaks in their class schedule. This is handy for parents who can't ferry their kids back and forth to the campus (which was a pain since the first year in the program our kid was 15 and didn't have his driver's license.)
Just another band aid on a system that is a monumental failure. What difference does it make giving those diplomas earlier? Diplomas are given now to functional illiterates and have been for decades.
These bone head so called educators need to teach children the basics. Kids are getting that worhless piece of paper when they can’t count well enough to make change correctly in MacDonald’s. America’s public schools are a national disgrace and the politicians refuse to do anything about it.
Those cowards fear the teacher’s unions too much to make waves. They are a bunch of whores.
My grandmother graduated from HS at 16 (when you only went 11 years in Texas) and the University of Houston at 19. She did pretty well all her life.
A friend of mine in HS graduated a year early and then from Abilene Christian in 3 years.
That’s interesting. We homeschool and that’s kind of the plan we have for our boy. He is already a year ahead of his public school peers in most classes. Shouldn’t be too hard to move that up another year between 4th and 10th grad.
So our thought was to graduate him from HS in 10th grade and then send him to a local community college for a couple of years. Then he can make his choice about college.
The one problem I see with that is that we are using the K-12 curriculum. I think by 11th and 12th grade, it’s quite a bit more rigorous than a typical community college. So there would be some sacrifice in educational quality by sending him to a CC. OTOH, he would have a couple of years to slide into college life while living at home.
http://www.eagleforum.org/educate/marc_tucker/
The same Marc S. Tucker mentioned in the article who is great friends of Hillary Clinton. Remember “School to Work”?
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