About two months ago, I posted about my mystified reaction to critics who felt that students in Florida shouldn't be allowed to graduate a year early from high school after earning 18 credits instead of 24. The original Yahoo document about the new law is no longer active, but I quoted a bit from it, and I pointed out that those who worried about these kids missing out on such life-altering events as their senior proms were being ridiculous.
The original purpose of the suggested change in the law was to reduce overcrowding (by 2015, classes must be capped at 25 students), and to allow smart kids to start college - or life - year early if they chose. I was surprised at the critical response to this practical idea. A couple of my more cynical readers figured that schools wanted to keep the good kids in as long as possible to keep test scores up.
Well, Michael of Highered Education has the most recent news on this flap. Believe it or not, some critics still dithering on about the perils of graduating early:
In the Big Bend area, relatively few students are taking advantage of a new option that allows high-school students to graduate in three years. And some school administrators say they're glad about the low numbers.
"If I was a high-school counselor, I would not advise the average student to do it," said David Miller, superintendent of Wakulla County Schools.
Well, duh. It's not intended for the average student. It's intended for a student who does enough with 18 credits to get into college, or who has a job waiting on them, or who wants to pursue a military career, or what have you. It's not something to pushed on every student - but the option should certainly be there.
Miller said a local employer told him that the new law - which allows students to graduate with 18 credits instead of 24 - would mean some graduates would be less mature and less prepared for the real world.
What, you mean as opposed to how prepared they are now? According to this article, when Florida's seniors took the 10th-grade FCAT in 2003 as a practice run for next year (when the test will be required for graduation), 75% of them failed the Reading portion, and 61% failed the Math. I mean, that might be an argument for keeping kids in for many more years, but to suggest that Florida's seniors are getting a lot of crucial information down in that last year is ridiculous. These test scores suggest that a lot of 'em are only learning two years' worth of material in four.
The alternative was created to help meet a state constitutional requirement to reduce class sizes. Classes will be capped at 25 students in high schools by 2010. Students who choose that path aren't required to take physical education, a fine/practical art course and a life-management class.
Dude, if I had had a chance to get out of PE and something as touchy-feely as a "life-management class" in high school, I would have left in three years for sure, and to heck with the senior prom.
Naysayers contend students will miss out on electives that contribute to a well-rounded education and the opportunity to take additional academic courses, such as advanced-placement classes. They're also concerned that graduates won't be emotionally ready for college or work.
Why do these naysayers not understand that any kid who understands the importance of AP exams and who wants to get into a competitive college will stay in school? These kids aren't going to miss out on anything unless they choose to, and no kid is going to bypass an AP class if he thinks he'll need it. But some kids won't need that, and it's hard to believe that the 12th year is somehow crucial for the development of a kid who has already been admitted to community college, or plans to be a mechanic or a plumber, or who wants to take over the family store.
Merry Ortega, executive director of secondary schools for Leon County, said she personally wouldn't encourage students to graduate with six fewer credits. Not only will students miss some academic opportunities, they'll also miss social experiences, she said.
"It's for the very focused student who knows exactly what they want to do with their life and using the 18-credit option is the best way to get there," Ortega said.
As we all know, everyone has extremely positive social experiences in high school, right? I mean, come on. This option is a lifesaver for kids who don't like the cliqueish, often-brutal nature of high school society, who are smart enough to get out early, who are motivated and who do have a plan. These kids don't need condescending lectures about the important "social" experiences they'll be missing, as though high school juniors are still uncivilized apes.
Here's Michael's take on it, by the way:
These worries strike me as yet another manifestation of that mindset that says all children must be raised the same, that while we leave no child behind, we must also not let any child get too far ahead. It's the mindset I ran into when I was working at a public school teaching fifth graders about Shakespeare, reading through a play with them. They were getting most of it, working through the language with eagerness and a little skill. But their teachers complained to the Principal that it was inappropriate for them to be reading such advanced material when all of their peers were still struggling with Henry Huggins & Ramona Quimby.
Worrying about kids' maturity like this also betrays an assumption that somehow the public school experience itself helps "mature" kids...So lighten up. When you're kid is 17, they will be 17 no matter whether they are in high school or college or Kazakhstan. The time will pass for them, and they will have a year's worth of experiences to draw on. The only thing to ensure is that the year is not spent mindlessly in front of a Playstation.
Posted by kswygert at November 6, 2003 03:12 PM