> To: <lmelina@moscow.com>
> From: schmidt6@TurboNET.com (schmidt6)
> Subject: Re: graduation requirements
> Cc: vision2020@moscow.com
> Date: Sat, 21 Feb 1998 11:17:17 -0800
> >Thank you for all the time you and the committee on graduation requirements
> >have spent on this important issue. I think the proposed graduation
> >requirements are an improvement over the first draft. However, it is my
> >understanding that the requirements are not more rigorous because we are
> >concerned that more rigor will result in more high school dropouts. I am
> >concerned that we are underserving the children of Moscow under the guise
> >of "protecting" them from the consequences of failing to graduate.
> >
> >I appreciate all the effort that has gone into developing the proposed
> >graduation requirements, and I think the current proposal is an improvement
> >over the earlier version. However, I continue to believe the graduation
> >requirements should be more rigorous. More academic courses should be
> >required. More math should be required.
> >
> >Let me compare the current "core" requirements of Moscow High School to the
> >current "core" requirements of the NCAA for athletes seeking to play sports
> >at a Division I school. I bring up this comparison not because I think the
> >NCAA should be a standard, but because the NCAA standards were designed, I
> >think we all know, to allow all but illiterate high school students to be
> >able to play sports in college.
> >
> >1. The NCAA requires four yeas of English as does MHS.
> >2. The NCAA requires two years of math, as does MHS, but the NCAA requires
> >that those classes be Algebra, Geometry, or a higher course for which
> >Geometry is a prerequisite. MHS does not require Algebra or Geometry.
> >3. The NCAA requires 13 units, or the equivalent of 26 MHS credits in
> >their "core." MHS requires 31 credits in the "core", but 6 of those credits
> >would not meet the NCAA requirements for an academic core course (P.E.,
> >Economics, Health). In other words, the NCAA requires more in the way of
> >"core" courses than MHS.
> >4. Of the additional 6 credits required by MHS, all could be courses that
> >do not meet the NCAA requirements for an academic core course. In this
> >comparison, MHS "core" requirements are also less rigorous than the NCAA.
> >5. Both the NCAA and MHS require a minimum 2.0 average in "core" courses.
> >
> >Clearly, MHS graduation standards are below those minimal standards
> >currently required for athletes wanting to compete at NCAA Division I
> >schools. I think this speaks for itself.
> >
> >The current discussion of graduation requirements seems to be driven as
> >much or more by what we, the patrons of MHS, think the students are capable
> >of by the time they reach high school than by what they need by the time
> >they have completed 12 years of public education. I hope when this
> >discussion is over, a similar amount of effort can be given to looking at
> >the bigger picture. What do MHS students need to have learned by the time
> >they graduate from MHS and what kinds of changes need to be made in our
> >school system, our classrooms, and our curriculum, so that we can both
> >expect more of our high school graduates and be confident that they can
> >achieve more?
> >
> >
> >Lois: You seem confused. What does the nat.COLLIEGIATE athletic assn
> expectation for Entering College have to do with graduating from high
> school? NOT EVERYBODY GOES TO COLLEGE! Do we design a system that allows for
> flexible learning and growth? That system can still expect excellence and
> industry. But the guidelines do not have point to College! That is, unless
> your goal is to promote the higher education industry. My goal is for
> children to grow into healthy citizens. Dropping out of highschool for
> whatever reason(boredom, distractions, lack of relevance, ad infinitum) gets
> in the way of that goal. High school dropouts CAN be healthy citizens...but
> it's hard.Let's design a system the allows for variety and promotes
> excellence and growth. And keep working on the system.
> I have greatly enjoyed R. Probasco's notes. Maybe we can share war
> stories about the JR high sometime. Dan Schmidt
> >
>
>