There is legislation floating in Oregon that portends to remove literacy and math requirements for graduating high school seniors. Specifically, if the legislation is passed, seniors would not have to demonstrate the equivalent of tenth grade reading, writing or math to earn their diplomas.
According to an article on the Oregonian/ Oregonian Live website, the “Essential Skills” rule was enacted in 2009, but was paused during the COVID19 pandemic. To avoid a change in graduation requirements for students who have already started high school, the earliest possible date for the new legislation, should it pass, would be in 2024. That means four graduating classes could be exited without demonstrating minimal literacy and math skills.
According to the author of the article, students in Oregon are not required to take a standardized test to exit high school. They are, however, required to demonstrate tenth grade competency through one of a variety of assessments including a classroom project their teachers would evaluate.
Apparently, disabled students, English language learners and students of color had difficulty demonstrating a minimum of tenth grade competency in reading, writing, and math.
Oregon high schools established classes to help juniors and seniors who needed to demonstrate proficiency to graduate.
Education policy makers in Oregon are tasked with revamping graduation requirements by 2022.
This legislation alarms me for many reasons. I cannot reconcile in my mind how anyone could rationalize removing minimum literacy standards for seniors graduating high school. The students will earn diplomas, but will lack the foundational skills necessary for selfsufficiency and self-determination everyone needs to live productive lives in the community.
Also, schools addressing the shortfalls in the junior and senior years is pointless. According to education statistics, those shortfalls needed to be corrected before students reached fourth grade.
From my perspective, this is absolutely tragic. Rather than effectively teach students early on, it seems education policymakers in Oregon are seeking to give students a diploma, let them start their adult lives and let the chips fall where they may. No taxpayer, parent, or concerned citizen should be okay with this intentional watering down of public education.
It’s a shame our response to our failing system is to fail even more. To rob students of a chance at successful, independent lives is unconscionable. We will eventually pay for this persistent failure that is allowed to occur.
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