Unequal Education System, Eighth Grade Algebra Don’t Add Up
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| Also listed in: Courage Campaign Staff |
Governor Schwarzenegger has received much praise from this blog recently, largely due to his critique of the Bush-McCain offshore oil drilling plan, but now its time to rebuke his administration as his State Board of Education, (all members appointed by the governor) just voted to require all eighth grade students take algebra courses.
At first glance it seems perfectly wise to impose such a statewide standard whereas rigorous academic challenge will help produce better prepared students. But thinking more realistically, this new standard will probably join the likes of the California High School Exit Exam, whereas the state's unequal education system stands in the way of the state's goals.
The Sacramento Bee's Dan Walters writes about the statewide standard dilemma succinctly.
In real terms, California's public education system has limited uniformity when it comes to financial resources, availability of textbooks, fully credentialed teachers, guidance counselors and academically stringent AP courses.
As you can guess, students attending schools in poor urban and rural as well as Latino and/ or African American neighborhoods perform far worse than their academic counterparts in more white and more affluent communities which have greater financial resources (thanks to Prop 13) which can pay more for the best teachers, new textbooks and so on.
Schwarzenegger made himself a huge governor by going after global warming. He even showed integrity by attacking his party's presidential candidate; plan to drill off the California coast.
But the ex-bodybuilder is mighty small when it comes to these board of education votes that politically sound reasonable but only tend further expose the inequities of the state public education system. And his State Board hasn't provided much in the way of how to solve that more pressing problem.
At first glance it seems perfectly wise to impose such a statewide standard whereas rigorous academic challenge will help produce better prepared students. But thinking more realistically, this new standard will probably join the likes of the California High School Exit Exam, whereas the state's unequal education system stands in the way of the state's goals.
The Sacramento Bee's Dan Walters writes about the statewide standard dilemma succinctly.
- Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and advocates of educational rigor are hailing the state Board of Education's vote to impose the algebra requirement in response to pressure from federal officials about creating more uniformity in standards and testing.
However, state schools Superintendent Jack O'Connell, who wanted to modify the decade-old state policy of introducing eighth-graders to algebra to comply with the federal demands, claims that the decree will leave many kids behind because the state is unprepared, educationally and financially, to implement it.
In real terms, California's public education system has limited uniformity when it comes to financial resources, availability of textbooks, fully credentialed teachers, guidance counselors and academically stringent AP courses.
As you can guess, students attending schools in poor urban and rural as well as Latino and/ or African American neighborhoods perform far worse than their academic counterparts in more white and more affluent communities which have greater financial resources (thanks to Prop 13) which can pay more for the best teachers, new textbooks and so on.
Schwarzenegger made himself a huge governor by going after global warming. He even showed integrity by attacking his party's presidential candidate; plan to drill off the California coast.
But the ex-bodybuilder is mighty small when it comes to these board of education votes that politically sound reasonable but only tend further expose the inequities of the state public education system. And his State Board hasn't provided much in the way of how to solve that more pressing problem.