Free Republic

Let's just say that for the Fort Worth school district, it wasn't a good day.Paul Harvey, the nationally syndicated radio newsman known for his twice-daily show, News and Comment, mentioned the district Friday in his lunchtime program in an item about a small protest outside the administration building.About a dozen students, parents and supporters had picketed the building Thursday in protest of a board decision this week. The board upheld a district policy prohibiting 617 students who failed one or more parts of the TAKS exit-level exam from participating in graduation ceremonies.Harvey had received a photo of the protest."Several students...

AUSTIN – House members tentatively voted Monday to scrap a 22-year-old requirement that high school students pass a standardized test to graduate – acting just days after a record number of seniors were told they won't get diplomas this month because they failed the test. A student testing bill approved by the House would shift schools to a new assessment program that would require students to take a dozen end-of-course exams in core subjects, with scores counting for 25 percent of the grade in each subject. Unlike an earlier Senate version of the legislation, however, students would not have to...