Friday, February 21, 1997
REGENTS:
Standard not up to par, especially in mathematics, EnglishBy
Tiffany Lauter
Daily Bruin Contributor
To prepare students for college and careers in the 21st century,
it is critical they have access to rigorous courses in school,
particularly in the areas of mathematics and English, and be held
to higher performance standards, according to education
researchers.
The California Education Round Table recently convened two task
forces to research and develop the California high school
graduation standards in these two subjects. The task forces consist
of faculty from the UC system and other institutions, K-12
educators, parents and business people.
Thursday, one year after the task forces took on this project,
they presented to the Board of Regents a set of standards which
have already received support from the UC Academic Council, the
California PTA, the California Math Council and several other
groups and individuals interested in improving the school
system.
Jerry Hayward, co-director of Policy Analysis for California
Education (PACE) said the task forces have spent a considerable
amount of time developing a balance between teachers’ ability to
teach and the students’ ability to meet set performance
standards.
Hayward also noted that it is especially important for
institutions such as the University of California, to send a clear
message as to what these standards are.
"Some people thought that the (present) standards were too easy,
some too hard, we thought they were just right," Hayward said.
Hayward said algebra, geometry and statistics are the areas
where current performance standards need more fine-tuning, adding
that each student should have two or more years of rigorous math
while in high school.
"We are currently somewhere about the seventh or eight grade
(level) in our expectations," Hayward said. "We have some distance
to go."
George Gadda, a UCLA lecturer in the writing program and English
Task Force member, said that the abilities required for a
successful career in the 21st century would have been considered
elite in the past.
He said that he has received very little negative response
towards setting higher standards in English, except with regards to
how they could affect recent immigrants in the United States, many
without an advanced command of grammar or conventional use of the
English language.
While most regents in attendance at Thursday’s meeting agreed
that there is a need for higher performance standards to prepare
students for life after high school, they are concerned about how
students will react to complying with higher expectations.
"You need to consider how you market or sell this idea," Regent
Leach said. "Education is competing with cars and stereos. We have
to sell students on the importance of higher standards."
According to State Superintendent of Public Instruction Delaine
Eastin, a task force representative, it is important that educators
convince students of the importance of working harder. Twenty years
ago, a college education was not needed to get a good job and
support a family, but times have changed, she added.
"We short change students if we don’t hold them to the standards
established, but we have to give them the tools," Leach said. "We
are short changing our students if we do not hold them to tough
standards."
Regent Khachigian stressed that families and students must be
informed early on in their education as to what level of
performance is expected and what students must do to perform above
the standards.
Even if most students do not know if they will attend college
until late in high school, Khachigian said that they should be held
to high performance standards throughout high school so if they do
decide to pursue higher education, they will be prepared. He added
that even if students do not elect to pursue a college education,
higher standards would prepare them for the work world.
Some in attendance at the Regents meeting expressed confusion as
to the current status of educational standards, questioning the
need for the development of new standards.
"What have we done for the last 148 years?" Regent Bagley asked
the task force representatives. "Don’t we have standards now?"
"Yes, but not very much," Hayward responded. "Students are
currently around the eight grade level. It varies from region to
region."
Eastin expanded on this comment, noting that California is a
highly mobile state and students move a lot. She pointed to this as
a major reason for the educational system to move towards a
state-wide set of standards.
In addition, Eastin said she believes that due to budgetary
cutbacks, there are fewer academic counselors at students’ disposal
to encourage them to challenge themselves with tougher coursework.
Therefore, she reasoned that it should be up to schools to make
higher educational performance mandatory.
Several regents agreed that even though all students may not go
to college, they all need to be prepared for the real world. Eastin
recalled a colleague asking her why it a carpenter or electrician
should bother to obtain a high level of math competence.
"If you are using a carpenter who does not know trigonometry,
you are in deep yogurt," she said. "Even if a student does not go
to college it is important to explain to kids that there are basic
skills needed for all types of work."
Several regents asked when these higher standards will be
implemented. Eastin said she is hoping to put them into practice
for the class of 2001 or 2002, because it will take considerable
time and money to execute the proposed standards.
The Board of Regents informally endorsed the proposed standards,
but noted that the proposition will be posted as an action item for
formal vote at the March meeting.
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