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 commentSorry F&B
All I know is WWE is king now. If ya want to ask about the WWF we can talk. St.Paul Civic Center/Jake The Snake/Hulkster/Andre/Macho. I had thee pleasure to have cool one in the isle with Big John Stud.(Him not a little boy) Talk about fun!!!! God I wish I had 1/2 the drive I used too!!!
I wonder if it was nan that barrowed my yellow Hulkster shirt's from the laundromat in the day? Just kidding woman. I never liked that pequot water. It eats you're clothe's.
Dutch put a
Hiniker cab(made in mankato) on that 4020 & a rock box on the front then memories Sir!!! thank-You you goof!!! They were supposed to be around 90 hp. The 1969 one I grew up in had 103 hp according to the dyno. LOL Nowday's 200 hp is a baby!!!
How a bout you're Gramps?? What was his 1st tractor? Mine had a H-Farmall. Uff poor guy.
OK OFB,
put the Bud down and tell me if dithers qualifies to be a ring post or not!
Well OFB, dithers taunted me over
the line with it's "male michelle" stuff, then deleted it and whined to the moderator. I am quitting for the night and taking a week's vacation to decide if I even want to return. Have a nice time.
OFB...We have a '52 FarmAll M at the Farm Yet...Stump...
Puller...
Note: Took a vacation to the Cities for some Parades, back at the Farm again...
She's a 6 Volter/Generator Converted to 12 Volter/Alternator...
BTW...Doing a Light Upgrade in the Front...
NAPA LED Fog Lamps...
Halogen's Fog Lamps keep blowing the Fuses...
Bunny Lights on the Front were replaced by the Halogens...NO GOOD.!.
The PTO on the side of the M does turn...
It's a Old Farm Boy contraption...A spinny wheel connected to a flange.
Just pull the Lever, and Watch the Flags Spin Round 'n Round...
Yes, I'm an Old Farm Boy Yet...
Live in the Cities...
Escape to the Farm..
We have another gem at the Farm...John Deere...
Love the Lil John Deere 185 HydroStat Lawn Tractor with the 48 inch Mower Deck...
So, I have Red, Yellow, and Green.!.
Hey Dutch,
your pal dithers tried to mess me up tonight but it lost. Check out my points!!!! I am now going to take a couple months off in AZ and I hope you and OFB both freeze your but ts off on your tractors!
FnB...Enjoy Arizona...North Rim of Grand Canyon..
Great place to camp out...
Years ago with the Family, we stayed at a Lodge near the North Rim...
Can't remember the name, but super enjoyable...
Have a great time away from Grumpy Old Men Territory.!.
As Walter Matthau said...Brrr...
Got Tractors
Hey guys, got tractors. Got a farmall H with a back blade. Snow only. It's tired. Also got an IH-TD6 crawler/dozer, 1954 complete with original owners manual and bucyrus-erie blade. Hydraulic lift/manual tilt and angle w/rear PTO. Gas over diesel. Starts on 1 gallon of gas and then you kick it over to diesel. Kind of neat. Converted from 6v to 12v. Has a positive ground. A little different. You should have seen the battery blow up the first time I jump started it and had the cables crossed up. oops. Wanna have a pulling contest. My kitty cat against your tractor. Also got a 1046 cub for the lawn. Not the best deck system on that. Doesn't mow rocks and stumps very well. LOL. That's it for my tractors. It's down to the lake with the ice chisel and minnow bucket for now. Gonna try for some northerns today. Later. Have a good time in AZ. PS: Don't let dithers bother you. Just consider the source. Maybe I'll have some fish stories on my next post.
So...back to the topic. I
So...back to the topic. I wonder how do students with learning disabilities pass this test in it's pure form? There are plenty of special education type students in school with mental handicaps. They are working on learning how to shred paper, sort stuff, even some who are working on the basics of self care like dressing and feeding. How on Earth can we expect that ANY of those kids will EVER be able to pass this Math exam? And honestly, they aren't bound for a 4 year college either, obviously. But yet, they can't stay in high school forever, so then what? How do you "graduate" them when they haven't fulfilled the educational requirements, but they have hit the age cap? Answer: You dumb down the test for these students. And if you create special tests for them, then why not create special tests for all of the students who can't reach the standard? Where do you draw the line? At the rate it is going, only the ultra smart and the mentally handicapped will achieve a high school diploma. If we continue down the same path, all the average kids might as well drop out now and study up for the GED instead.
America's educational system is a mess. Put the power back in the hands of the teachers to actually discipline kids for inattention or misbehavior. Get parents involved in their kid's lives again; send them to school well rested, dressed, clean, fed and with their homework done. And forget trendy curriculum fads. Teach the basics (math, english, social studies and science), teach healthy lifestyle and physical fitness, teach technology, teach the arts, and teach some life skills. Provide a well rounded experience and opportunities for each student to be involved in SOMETHING they like. Forget teaching to a test....instead, focus on turning out a well rounded young adult with the ability to THINK.
Teachers are not the bad guys. But we have to take the restraints off them and let them teach. And parents have to support their efforts. Parents also have to take the lead in teaching respect, morals and ethics...those things start at home before kids ever reach school age. It takes a village to raise a child.
Okey dokey
You are right on.
Dutchy, Hopefully
you're not a teacher, because if you are you certainly missed the boat with the Bush-Bashing rants. For the slow learner, Congress passes the laws in this country, not the president. If you have a complaint about No-Child-Left-Behind I suggest that you take it up with members of congress. Better yet, if teachers were teaching, rather than pandering to the unions, No-Child-Left-Behind would not be necessary.
whatfor,
dutch and the rest of the communists forget that Obama is the first dictator to rule the US and they always blame Bush. You need to get up to speed if you are going to be on this forum. Psssst. don't say bad about unions either. jus sayin........
The school system was broken
The school system was broken before Bush was President.
As far as the No child left behind, there probably is much
we don't know like how much was changed from the original
version of it. Sometime long ago, they decided to mainstream
the kids with disabilities which looks good on paper, but
yes, how does that relate to that tes?. There may be some
carving out of some segments of the school population.
I suppose that I could ask my sister as for a few years
she had all the learning disabled in her class .
You can blame Bush if you want but, I think the Federal Education Dept. and the teachers union may have changed
the original ....
Sadie
Also consider the fact that Bush handed over the reigns to the late Ted Kennedy to craft that bill. Most of the provisions came from him and some of them from the previous administration. If I remember correctly, that was democrat.
Dutch is a little fuzzy on the facts.
I think alot of our ancestors
I think alot of our ancestors are rolling in their graves over what we have become.
We have screwed up for sure. So let's get on the road to fixing it for the next generation so they don't have to clean up our mess.
Charlie...Got Tractors...Plus...
Keeping the Tractors Goin...
American...
Takes some wit and grit...