State education officials want to change the high school experience and graduation requirements because they think current standards do not prepare all students for success in college or the work force.
Some students are ready to go to college and start careers, but not everyone. According to the state report, 60 percent of New Jersey students start college after high school, with 44 percent continuing the second year. Only 25 percent graduate, which is actually above the national level of 18 percent.
The state surveyed 100 local companies and 99 reported a difference between "what their positions required of high school graduates and what those graduates were prepared to do."
It’s nothing new to say that the economy is bad and the unemployment rate is high. And we don’t need statistics to know that the world is changing as technology transforms society. Where and how we work today are different from past generations. So the State wants everyone ready to think critically and be comfortable in this increasingly connected world.
The proposed plan calls for students to test for proficiency in algebra, geometry, biology, chemistry and economics. Rather than just the traditional high school proficiency exam in math and language arts, each course will have an end of the course test that needs to be passed for students to earn diplomas.
It is not dramatically different from what schools already provide, but it raises the standard in important academic areas. The plan also calls for school districts to enforce "rigorous content" for the study of a world language, social studies, health, technology, and career skills like resume writing and job interviewing.
These requirements make students more than just "book smart." It makes them ready to leave behind the comforts of childhood to step into the world with confidence.
The plan recognizes the hard work that teachers provide for their students and wants to also help them with stronger development programs. Ultimately, it hopes to redesign of high schools as "learning communities" with more personalized attention to make sure everyone can meet the standards.
The State also wants to begin more comprehensive programs before high school, and that is important because some students are already behind by the time they get to ninth grade. But according to the state report, tougher standards do not equal bigger dropout rates. Let’s hope so. The national No Child Left Behind program left a lot of educators frustrated with impractical burdens on the classroom setting and an unrealistic measure of success.
But it looks like the New Jersey Department of Education has it right with this plan.
