DATE: Wednesday, October 1, 1997            TAG: 9710010456

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B6   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY KIA MORGAN ALLEN, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: PORTSMOUTH                        LENGTH:   90 lines

PORTSMOUTH PARENTS QUESTION CITY'S NEW ACADEMIC STANDARDS

City parents are not convinced that some 17,000 students, including their children, will have the reinforcements needed to help them meet tougher academic standards.

Few parents seem to favor the city's new academic plan and believe their children - who are already struggling - will be shortchanged.

Superintendent Richard D. Trumble, the architect of the plan, concedes that some of the changes will pose a threat to students' success. He has decided to wait a year before holding back students who don't pass the state's Standards of Learning exam next spring.

Trumble said growing concern over whether students would pass prompted his decision to wait another year before tying passage of the exam to grade promotion.

``This coming spring will not be used to determine promotion to the next grade. Our concern is that we've only got a pilot testing period and only some of the kids in the state took that test.''

The test will count in 1999, once a minimum score has been determined from initial test results. Students will then have to pass a state exam to get a diploma in the district.

Frank Thomson, a parent, said that he doesn't like the idea of requiring students to pass the Standards of Learning exam as a prerequisite to go to the next grade.

``I would hate for my kid to go to school, pass, take the SOL and don't get promoted. We have no way of measuring a kid's promotion except for a test, and I have a problem with that.''

While Trumble stands behind the district's changes, he concedes that there is no money to put safeguards in place - including hiring more teachers and expanding tutoring programs - to help students meet the standards.

``I realize the budget is tight, but they need more teachers. Wendy is already struggling to learn in her geography class because there are 40 people and one teacher. That's too many people,'' said Rhonda Bessent, whose daughter Wendy attends Wilson High School.

``The teacher's got an angry attitude because he can't handle 40 people. Why aren't there stricter standards on how many people there are per student,'' Bessent asked.

Portsmouth's student class size ratio for the high school level is 25 students to one teacher. Officials say they are working to cut class loads at Wilson.

Since the district approved higher standards with strict grade point averages and diploma requirements in March, parents have been much like mavericks, attending school meetings to oppose the plan, trying to get district officials to do more.

In Portsmouth, the new standards started with this fall's ninth-graders who will need a 1.3 average to get a diploma; beginning with the class of 2003, students will have to make a 2.0.

Students also pick career clusters, which provides specific skills and either an advanced studies diploma or a slightly less challenging regular diploma.

Students who do not meet all academic requirements will not receive the ``certificate of attendance'' or the ``certificate of completion'' as earlier proposed by the board. Those students will receive nothing at all if they fail to meet the necessary requirements to earn a diploma.

Parents are concerned that some students will be left behind.

Deborah Kelly, another parent, put it this way: ``Not all of those kids are (going to) meet those standards. There are some who just can't get it in a classroom setting and need tutoring. The more prepared these kids are, the better off they're (going to) be.''

Trumble doesn't argue that it will be difficult for students. ``It is tough and they will have to study, '' he said. But he says there are tutoring programs in place now such as a program where Churchland High School students tutor those in middle school and summer school courses.

The superintendent suggests that parents become more involved instead of finding fault.

``Rather than the system finding them tutors, parents will have to be the tutors and be more involved,'' Trumble said. ``Parents have to realize that standards are going up and they have to do more to get their kids to do homework, go to school.''

While parents like some parts of the plan they have doubts about other parts such as a requirement that students select a course track that would help them in college.

``There are only five tracks to choose from. That does not give a kid much of a choice in vocational fields for something they're (going to) be doing in high school for a job they'll do for the rest of their lives,'' Thomson said. ``The tracks are too narrow.''

School officials said if the 2.0 GPA requirement was currently in place, 12 percent of next year's graduates would not receive a diploma.

``If they're (going to) toughen the standards they need to help these kids,'' said Bessent. ``There's got to be some answers.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo

Superintendent Richard D. Trumble, the plan's architect, says that

some of the changes might not help all students.

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