I’ve never really agreed with the practice among some states and districts to hinge a student’s diploma on one graduation test. Not all students are able to demonstrate their mastery of a subject through written tests. Some need a variety of methods to show what they’ve learned.
So it was with some acceptance that I read about a proposal currently wending its way through Minnesota legislature that would allow juniors who failed the state’s graduation test to move on and receive their diploma any way.
I said “some” acceptance.
Because while the proposed bill prevents exactly what I dislike most about one-size-fits-all assessments, it doesn’t seem to offer another valid and acceptable alternative to gauge student learning.
Sure, the bill has some provisions: students have to retake the failed test at least twice, take remediation classes, and meet other graduation requirements, but the bill’s author makes me question the authenticity of these measures.
“Frankly, until we get things right in our K-12 system, I’d rather move kids forward … than kick them to the streets without a diploma,” Rep. Carlos Mariani, D-St. Paul, told the Pioneer Press. I imagine, Mariani pitched the bill, because last year only 35 percent of students passed the math portion of the test.
So, it’s move ‘em up or move ‘em out?
That should never be a choice educators have to make—though I’m sure there are many who will say that is the reality of public schools today. Still, a sound educational foundation is what every student should leave school with. And diplomas should only be granted when that is true.
“Is it fair to give students a diploma when we know they don’t have the preparation they need?” asked Jim Bartholomew, education policy director at the Minnesota Business Partnership.
Clearly, the answer is no, it’s not fair. The real question is, who is it most unfair to?
Naomi Dillon, Senior Editor
