THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, April 27, 1995 TAG: 9504270384
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JON GLASS, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: STAUNTON LENGTH: Medium: 68 lines
State Board of Education members Wednesday began grappling with proposed statewide standards for Virginia's public schools, hoping to find common ground on an issue that has turned the state into an education battlefield.
As they ended the first day of a two-day retreat, board members said they had made headway on the standards but acknowledged that serious differences remained.
``I think we made some progress,'' said member Michelle Easton. ``We've got people on this board willing to work it through and willing to compromise.''
The so-called ``Standards of Learning,'' in place since 1981 and last updated in 1988, outline what students at each grade level should be taught in math, science, English and social studies. Gov. George F. Allen wants to revise the standards to make them tougher and hold schools more accountable.
The draft standards have drawn widespread criticism from educators and many parents, who contend that they emphasize rote memorization over critical thinking, are unrealistic and pander to a politically conservative agenda.
Four school districts in the state, including Virginia Beach and Newport News, led the effort to rework the 1988 standards. But critics charge that after the districts had finished their work, Allen appointees made substantial changes.
Most of the fire has been directed toward standards for social studies and English. Some board members voiced irritation Wednesday after learning that state schools chief William C. Bosher Jr. had instructed the district writing teams to create new drafts, presumably to reflect comments from public hearings earlier this month.
Member Lillian Tuttle charged that the revisions began on the social studies plan before the public hearings had ended. ``To say that this document is a result of public comment is a sham,'' she said.
On a 6-1 vote, the board approved a motion by Tuttle to put a halt to rewriting that is not directed by the board.
Bosher acknowledged that debate over social studies remains ``polarized.'' Disgruntled state legislators plan to hold a hearing Monday to give critics of the standards a chance to air their views.
The board made headway Wednesday on the math and science standards, taking three hours to plow through the proposals and make suggestions for improvement. Board President James P. Jones said he hopes the board can approve the standards for those two subjects next month.
While there was consensus over the substance of math and science standards, questions were raised about the consequences to school districts and students of implementing them.
Cost is a major concern. The changes, for instance, would create the need for new textbooks, teacher training and new technology. The higher math standards would require high school students to use sophisticated graphing calculators that cost about $75.
``I'm not sure how realistic it is to issue an order and expect every high school kid to buy a $75 or $100 calculator,'' Jones said.
Discussion over English standards has focused largely on how schools teach children to read. The proposed standards place an emphasis on phonics, which involves sounding out letters and words. Many educators argue that they need flexibility to teach other methods to fit students' different learning styles.
Some members said the reading standards are written for teachers rather than parents, a shortcoming they said must be corrected.
``It may be naive,'' Jones said, ``but we have this hope that a first-grade parent will get this and say, `Great, this is what Johnny will be able to do at the end of first grade.' '' by CNB