Here's a story that broke my heart, and made me determined to fight for the 14,000+ students who are at risk of being forced to drop out of school, because they are not likely to be able to pass the math requirement, a test that focuses solely on algebra and geometry.
A student recently came to my office and asked to speak to me. (I have changed some of the details to protect the privacy of this student.) I was aware of some personal issues she was dealing with in her home. Both of her parents, who had been sober for the last five years, recently fell back into their addictions, which turned her world upside down. Her basic needs of food, safety, and support have been interrupted, as, from day to day, she doesn’t know if her parents will be home or if they are safe. She has no one at home to encourage her with her own challenges in life.
Once inside my office, she began crying.
My immediate thoughts were: What else could happen to her at home? She already had more stress than a person her age should have to endure.
“What has you upset? What’s happened at home?” I asked.
She looked at me and said, “Sporleder, I am a dumb ass.”
Shocked by her response, I asked her why she would say that about herself.
“I suck at math, no matter how hard I try, I get confused with fractions,” she said.
I told her that struggling with fractions didn’t take away from all the other strengths and abilities that she had. She was one of the kindest students I have had the privilege to work with, I told her. I often saw her reaching out to others who need a boost of encouragement. We talked about her ability to write music and her incredible musical talent. We covered many of her other strengths. When our conversation was over, she stood up and thanked me for talking to her.
As she left my office, it hit me like a punch to my gut -- she would not pass the math assessment! I had spent 20 minutes sharing her strengths and her many positive attributes. But I had probably set her up for failure.
It was at that moment that I knew we needed to advocate for a change in the math assessment for these kids. If she is denied a diploma, the message she will take with her as she starts her life in the adult world is: “I am a dumb ass.”
___________________________
Teri Barila, director of the Children’s Resilience Initiative, and I have joined together to challenge the graduation requirements for Washington State’s high school students, Class of 2013. That’s because all students are forced through a “one size fits all” state math assessment that determines whether they will receive a high school diploma. Even if they meet every other graduation requirement, students who do not pass the math assessment are labeled a failure and denied the diploma, Of the 74,589 high school seniors in Washington State, 14,000+ are at risk of being forced to drop out of school, because they are not likely to be able to pass the math requirement, a test that focuses solely on algebra and geometry.
Many of these students have gifts and talents in other academic areas, have contributed to their school, have been involved in school activities, and most of all, have put their trust in their teachers, school counselors, mentors, coaches, and principals. I am trying to understand the thinking and decision-making that would define a student’s entire 13 years of educational experience on passing one “End of Course” algebra and geometry exam, or “Collection of Evidence” assessment, an evaluation of work samples based on classroom work prepared by the student with instructional support from the teacher.
We are not asking the state to lower standards. We are asking for a differential diploma for students who want to pursue different career paths, paths that do not involve attending a four-year college.
Washington State is recognized as one of the top states in the nation for implementing public awareness on adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), and pushing that information throughout our communities and state. Everything that we know about ACE’s flies in the face of such a punitive “one size fits all” model to determine a student’s destiny. We have the research that shows how stress impacts brain development. We know that students with ACEs consistently score lower than those without, and we know that Dr. Martin Teicher, a Harvard neurobiologist, has confirmed that students with ACEs have a neurological disability.
We all know the risk factors and the painful path of a high school dropout, including the data that shows a high percentage of our prison population were high school dropouts.
As one of the nation’s leaders in recognizing and implementing programs to reduce and prevent adverse childhood experiences, Washington State has not considered them when making educational policy that impacts the lives of so many students who, denied diplomas, will have every door of opportunity closed to them. Without a high school diploma, they cannot enter the military or the trade industry. Actor John Ratzenberger and Center For America are partnering to mount a sustained national awareness campaign to mobilize America to expand vocational training opportunities and restore dignity and pride to America’s skilled workers. “The upcoming retirement in a few years of millions of skilled workers, whose expertise in building things is not being passed along to younger generations, threatens the collapse of our manufacturing economy and with it, our middle class. Many companies already face serious worker shortages.”
Therefore, if we don’t have a differential diploma, it would be no different than failing special education students who are protected by their IEP (individualized education plan). We need a different, more appropriate math test, one that reflects math skills needed for the daily lives of these ACEs kids, not one that is more appropriate for kids who want to attend college and graduate school.
Teri and I have been told that we are taking on the impossible in trying to change a state testing mandate, but I would rather shoot for the stars than not shoot at all. Our country and our states are experiencing severe budget deficits, including those specific agencies that will be overwhelmed with the number of dropouts that attempt to access their services.
Instead of dropping thousands of young people on the predictable road to dependency, welfare, and, for some a pathway to prison, we could ask our legislators to change the state test to make sure that they access a respectable career of their choice, move forward to contribute to our society, and feel proud of their accomplishments.
Comments (0)