ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Tuesday, April 8, 1997 TAG: 9704080035
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER THE ROANOKE TIMES
Some fear the proposed standards could reduce choices for students and cause more dropouts.
During his 22 years in the classroom, Steve Ragsdale has taught math to hundreds of Giles County students - everything from eighth-grade math to calculus.
Ragsdale said he has learned that algebra is too difficult for some students. Anyone who thinks all youngsters can pass the subject is living in a "dream world," he said.
Yet, all students who enter the ninth grade in Virginia this fall will be required to pass first-year algebra to graduate if the state's proposed new accreditation standards for schools are approved.
Algebra is one of three math credits that would be mandated for a standard diploma. Four math credits would be required for an advanced studies diploma.
Speaking at a public hearing on the new standards last week, Ragsdale said he doesn't object to the requirement for an additional math course for graduation.
But he thinks students should have the option of taking a practical course that would provide math skills they could use when they get out of high school. Ragsdale said first-year algebra is a suitable stepping stone to higher math, but has little value in itself.
The algebra issue is at the heart of the debate over the proposed standards, which are designed to improve student academic achievement and increase accountability in schools.
State education officials, backed by Gov. George Allen, say high statewide academic standards are needed to prevent students -including culturally and economically disadvantaged children - from becoming victims of low expectations.
But some teachers, parents and school administrators question whether all students can meet high expectations - and whether the push for higher standards will cause an increase in failures and dropouts.
Richard La Pointe, state superintendent of public instruction, doubts it. The dropout rate has declined in recent years and there is no reason to believe the trend will change, he said.
The academic expectations will be more challenging, but they will better prepare students for jobs and college, La Pointe said.
The accreditation standards would raise graduation requirements - including an additional course each in math, science and history - and require students to pass 11th-grade exams in core academic subjects.
Students would also take statewide tests in English, math, science and history in grades three, five and eight. Their scores would be a factor in determining whether they are promoted or retained.
State education officials say the accreditation requirements are the final step in the reform plan that began with new academic standards, called Standards of Learning, and state tests to ensure accountability.
They're part of the effort by Allen and the state Board of Education to help schools focus on higher academic standards, more rigorous course content and to end social promotion.
Under the proposal, an annual report card would be prepared on each school showing test scores, attendance rates, discipline problems and dropout rates.
The report cards would provide parents with information on how well local schools and students are doing in meeting the academic standards.
But some teachers and parents fear the new accreditation standards will lead to fewer choices for students, less emphasis on fine arts, business and vocational courses, and more failures, particularly by socioeconomically disadvantaged children.
"There'll be very little room for failure. The standards scare me," said Garland Kidd, director of vocational education for Roanoke County schools.
"Additional classes in history, science and math may not address the needs of at-risk students," said Patricia Werth, president of the Virginia Association of Teachers of Family and Consumer Science. "I believe that schools need programs that not only teach academics but that will assist children in acquiring a sense of control over their lives."
Vocational education helps equip these students with the skills they will need in their lives, but students will have less time for it with the new standards, she said.
The Virginia Association of School Superintendents has raised concerns about the accreditation standards' effect on course offerings and costs. The association also thinks schools need more time to become familiar with the standards before they take effect - possibly next year.
Democrats in the General Assembly wanted to delay the standards for one year, but Allen vetoed the bill and the legislature did not override it.
Jean Holbrook, supervisor of business education for Roanoke County schools, said only 21 percent of the jobs in the United States will require a college degree by the year 2000.
Technical employment is the fastest-growing segment of the labor market, but the new standards will reduce opportunities for students to take technical and vocational courses, she said.
Brandon Bell, a member of the state Board of Education, said he sympathizes with the advocates of vocational education because he recognizes that these courses are important to many students
Yet, there is a need for higher academic standards and more rigorous courses to prepare students for a more competitive world, said Bell, a former Republican state senator from Roanoke County.
"In the high-tech world we're facing, the worst thing we could do is to keep our standards where they are or lower them," he said.
Bell said the state board will have to try to balance the needs of vocational education and the fine arts with higher academic expectations when it makes a decision on the standards.
The new achievement-driven accreditation system would replace the current method, which is based on compliance with regulations for most aspects of a school's operation but does not evaluate students' academic performance.
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