Who Will Take the Blame?
I wrote earlier today about clueless policymakers who think they are helping struggling students by raising standards. They believe fervently that the students will try harder and get higher test scores if the passing mark is raised.
A reader responded:
A similar policy is being rolled out in LAUSD. The total number of credits needed for graduation have been reduced so that students can retake and retake courses they have failed. However, the stakes are even higher because a “D” is no longer considered a passing grade. Again, there is no pilot program to base the efficacy of such a move. As class sizes increase and services are cut, there is no plan to address the cause of poor performance that leads to failure in high school.
Many feel that this policy will actually increase the dropout rate and/or create pressure on schools to demand
A reader responded:
A similar policy is being rolled out in LAUSD. The total number of credits needed for graduation have been reduced so that students can retake and retake courses they have failed. However, the stakes are even higher because a “D” is no longer considered a passing grade. Again, there is no pilot program to base the efficacy of such a move. As class sizes increase and services are cut, there is no plan to address the cause of poor performance that leads to failure in high school.
Many feel that this policy will actually increase the dropout rate and/or create pressure on schools to demand
