ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — A Minnesota math test that will soon be tied to graduation is causing consternation among some educators, who planned Tuesday to formalize a push to drop the requirement.
The Star Tribune reports (http://bit.ly/TZWcrG ) that a task force reviewing state testing practices was expected to recommend breaking the link between passage of the test and graduation. Such a move would require approval from the state Legislature and governor.
The concern is that nearly one-third of high school students could be denied a diploma. Currently, students can take the test three times and get a waiver if they fail repeatedly. But that grace period goes away with this year's sophomore class. It's one of two high-stakes GRAD exams in the state's testing arsenal, with the other measuring reading comprehension skills.
An analysis by the Minneapolis school district found that 31 percent of students across the state, or 19,000 total, are likely to fail the math GRAD test even after repeated tries.
Minnesota has had various forms of exit exams since the state debuted its basic skills tests in 1997. The Center on Educational Policy at George Washington University notes that 25 states have required exit exams, but four of them are on the verge of phasing them out.
Business and other groups that advocate for exit exams argue that many seniors are graduating without the skills needed for college or vocational success.
Jim Bartholomew, education policy director for the Minnesota Business Partnership, said too many students spend time and money on remedial college courses to master skills instead of focusing on a normal college curriculum. "That's a travesty," he said.
David Heistad, research director in the Bloomington school district, said that Minnesota's passing standard on its math GRAD is higher than the standard for the ACT needed for admission for most four-year colleges in Minnesota. That means those who fail the test three times would be denied a diploma even if they met required college-entrance scores.
At the Capitol, there is openness to scaling back testing requirements, which were a focus of the task force review.
Gov. Mark Dayton, a Democrat, favored less state testing when the issue came up during his campaign two years ago.
In 2009, the Legislature put the brakes on the math test-diploma link, instituting the waiver that expires in 2015. It was meant to buy decision-makers more time to fashion an alternate assessment.
Democratic Rep. Carlos Mariani, the incoming chair of the House Education Policy Committee and executive director of the Minnesota Minority Education Partnership, said coming up with an alternative hasn't been easy.
"What we were wrestling with was that the pendulum had swung too far from the judgment of that teacher, and too far toward a single assessment," he said. "We're trying to find a more intelligent way to do it, knowing that some students don't test well, which doesn't mean that they're not proficient."
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Information from: Star Tribune, http://www.startribune.com
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.
Comments (48)
Add commentDrop math altogether!
They already graduate without knowing how to read or write. Why worry about math.
Do they still
Teach kids that obama/chicago math?? Maybe that's everybody is broke?
Can you imagine that
An educator in Minnesota wanting to ease up on something. They must feel overworked. To ease up on the math exam would require hiring at least 2 more teachers in each district. Right, Tommy Dooher. Try this on for size: Tighten the belt on the damn teachers and maybe our students could learn something.
The left wing would prefer
that the people watching over the elections don't understand how to count. That would be the for sure end to any accusations of voter fraud!
Dean, OFB, Charlie, & Fair...Do some No Child Left Behind...
Sometime...
Try the Experiment...
That the Bush Boyz put in place...
No Child Left Behind...
AKA...Everyone was Left Behind...
Children, Parents, Teachers...
You Name it.!.
_______
Jeb - Florida Governor and Wanna Be Prez in 2016, and his older and much documented Brother...George W...
_______
My children grew up in this Era of Teach to the Test...
_______
I would love for you folks to enjoy some of the No Child Left Behind Era...
Do you folks have any friends, family members, or others, that have went this period of crap.?.
It's AWEFUL...
Instead of best thinkers...
We got Test Takers...
Not Exactly America at it's Best...
_______
America's children didn't get dumber...
They got Bush'd...
Remember that word...
_______
Jeb and George W...
A Pair to
NEVER
forget...
_______
Do I sound very bitter, YOU BET.!.
_______
All you clowns
Go through the schools and see what kind of kids and families people like Smartguy have to deal with. You 4 d-bags put the clue in clueless.
Hmm Dutch
Wasn't teddy involved in that too???
never itter-done. Such a MOUTH are you sure you're not in the WWE???
OOOOH
Sounds like we hit a sore spot with a couple of teachers. Clowns, d-bags,bitter, bushed. Teachers/liberals talking like this. No wonder they can't teach. It sounds to me like the truth hurts. What do you think, Dean, OFB, FNB. Wow, smoke coming out of my computer after that tongue lashing. How about this, abolish the teachers union and have the students teach the teachers. Ya Think. Good idea.
More background...One Room Schoolhouse...
On our farm, my GrandFather donated land for a school...
The One Room Schoolhouse...
Taught many children from K-8 for many years...
Needless to say, my Mom, got kinda in hot water one day with the teacher...
The Teacher got it right...
My GrandFather listened, and my mom became a MUCH better student and never lipped off ever again after my GrandFather gave the Norwegion Lecture of Honesty, Hard Work, and Effort Rewarded...
In Other Words...Not Taught to the Test...
Discussion with the Teacher and what did you learn...
Any one of Norwegion descent, knows what I'm taking about...
And the Biggie...
RESPECT YOUR ELDERS...
Your Teacher is your Elder...
Respect, disagree when you must, and bring all the parties together to discuss...
The Teacher and the Student are in this Together...
To Achieve.!.
Needless to say, Mom Behaved...
Advice from the local School Board Chair (my Grandfather) and the Teacher...
Things went pretty good after that dialogue...
Charlie...Best Buy is Close By...
Enhance the Economy...
Buy a Laptop Cooler, or Biggie Fan to Swat the Desktop with Air...
Sounds good Dutch-but
What do you do about todays teachers who didn't respect their elders. They don't know what respect means so how can they teach it. There seems to be a few missing years of "respect your elders."
OFB - Pairs is Good, or Bad, like Dice...
Limmer - Gazelka...
Jeb - George W...
Grover - Norquist...
You get the idea...
dithers must be chaptron's
bride to soon be!
Charlie - Freedom to Teach...
Is a Respect for Elders...
The Bush Boyz created a vacuum for years...
I believe Respect for Elders and Mentors will return...
When Teachers are allowed that Freedom again...
Creative Thinkers are Guided by their Teachers and Mentors, for the Next Generation...
Get Rid of Teach to the Test, and I believe Educators are On Board...
smartguy can quit
if he's so smart blithers.
Tired of excuses
Teachers tried to scam the system and make themselves look better by teaching to the test and it back-fired! You liberals created most of these problems so it is about time you quit whining and just do the job you have been hired to do.
OFB........... WWE????
it sure ain't a diva and they already have one Hornswoggle so what would dithers be, a ring post?
Dutch
All kidding aside you did just name THEE most important lesson in life. Respect!! Hogwash with these politican's!!
BTW how long before everybody can do what they want???
Did ya see where I asked when Mary has to vote on nudity??
How you can blame Pres. Bush
How you can blame Pres. Bush is beyond me. If you teach
what you should be teaching in the curriculum, then the students will do well on the test.
I place responsibility on the parents who do not prepare their
kids for school and be attentive throughout the school years.
I also can find responsibility on the teachers union.
Teachers lost their freedom to teach before Bush was president.
This is all my opinion, of course, I did have a child in school
during this time.
School systems usually have to change the curriculum, remember "Chicago math"? Well, that went over big didn't it?
I like to stick to the basics -- math, English/reading and science and U.S. History. a foreign language if they master English.
Dutch-no no
You will never get the teachers on board. They didn't like the AYP scores either so we changed that to their liking and the kids are still failing. It's time to start telling the teachers what WE want and if they don't like it or don't perform, get rid of them. I for one am tired of giving them what they want and still get failing results. Get rid of the union that protects the bad teachers and maybe the other 10% will do a better job. When you have a job guaranteed for life, do you really think they care about anything other than Fridays under- earned paycheck and their next vacation.
Dean...The Bush Boyz Created the Rules...
As any folks would do downstream, figure it out...
Play by the Rulez...
If the Bush Boyz did't rig the Card Table...
The others wouldn't have to figure out another way to Get 'R Done...
So, let's to back to some of the Old Dayz...
Conservatives LOVE this theme...
Ditch Teach to the Test...
Evangalize Thinkers...
And Move American Forward...
Teachers want to be paid a fair wage for fair work...
As do all Americans...
I firmly believe this...
This is America, and We're...
And don't forget
the union meetings, OWS marches and DFL get togethers that take up so much teacher time.
WOW
There I go. Walk to the fridge & there is 5 post's in front of me. About darn time YOU people wake up!!! Except for that cappy thing.
dutch must be or once was
a teacher, I think.
OFB, JD Engineers made the Base Product...
However, the next generation of Engineers, gonna Slap on a LargerTurbo
Hey Dean, OFB, FNB
After dutch and ditter got done ripping on me, I feel so bad that I think I'll go ice fishing tomorrow morning and abandon this ol computer. First day of ice fishing tomorrow. Checked out the ice today. Good to go. Just had my better half bring home some minnows. She's a teacher also. A non-union college professor. She gets to work with the crap that comes out of todays HS.
Dutch
Try to keep up. NCLB was supposed to set a higher standard for the teachers and students. Instead the teachers decided to teach to the test to make themselves look better and as a result they dumbed down the students. Besides, Obama gave Minnesota a waiver on NCLB last February. No more excuses!
John Deere
John Deere's are like teachers, overpriced and can't "GIT- ER- DONE". Like, broke down most of the time. They work best when they're in the barn (on vacation).
I still want OFB to
qualify his WWE comment to slithers.
Com'on on Charlie
I done did grow up on a John Deere. Even had a (let me think now) a a a 500 I think was the 1st. Then it was a 340 trailfire. Snow machines. The last combine I was in that goofy John Deere went & changed were the key was & I didn't know how to start the darn thing!!!