Board of Regents Punts the Blue Ribbon Commission Report on Graduation Measures
Four years ago I traipsed to Ft Hamilton High School for a Regional Meeting addressing Graduation Measures in New York State. A few hundred of us were directed to sit at tables, I sat with a superintendent, a principal and a few parents. We watched a few videos, listened to a comments by Board of Regents members, similar meetings were going on around the state. We were asked to select a recorder and discuss a number of questions. The question not on the list, the question we all had: was the state going to eliminate Regents Examinations, was not addressed, each group reported out, a collegial few hours.
A few months later COVID hits and everything is on hold. A year ago the process resumed, the State Department of Education posted asking for applicants for a Blue Ribbon Commission, selected sixty-five members and the commission met monthly with a retreat in July.
The meetings were not live-streamed or webcast, in my view violating the open meetings law.
With considerable fanfare the final report was released and discussed by the Board of Regents Read here.
The Report does not make specific recommendations, it identifies broad areas and State Ed and the Commission will “fill in the blanks,” in other words the specifics of an actual plan in the forthcoming months
The Report is divided into,
Consideration of multiple pathways leading to one diploma
Review of Assessment Flexibility
Understanding of meaningful life-ready credentials
Culturally responsive curriculum, instruction and assessment
I must admit I expected a document with specific recommendations, for example, a number of years ago the State adopted Culturally Responsive Curriculum Frameworks Read here.
Do the 700 school districts in NYS have to adopt and implement the 64-page Framework document and the accompanying Scorecard?
The State has said: the State sets standards, the districts create curriculum to implement the standards, is the State changing the policy?
If the State is keeping the “valid and reliable” Regents Exams (Commission’s words), or some of them and at the same time creating other evaluative instruments how do we know if they are also “valid and reliable”?
The members of the Board asked many questions, especially Regent Hale (Rochester), who asked perceptive questions about the unexplained proposed expansion of CTE programs.
The calendar: a further in depth discussion throughout the winter and spring and the rollout in next fall? Maybe, probably ….
A section of the Report discusses a Portrait of a Graduate, unfortunately ignores a Portrait of a Student who fails to graduate.
A long history of excessive absence Read discussion here.
Low (level 1) standardized test scores in elementary school and failing subjects in middle and high school
Many poverty risk load factors
Entered school in junior and/or senior high school with limited English language skills.
I have my doubts whether the yet to decided changes will address the obstacles to graduation noted above. Yes, periodic exploration is an excellent practice, better than the piecemeal changes over the last few decades; for example, if we don’t get kids to school every day the system is failing the students, blaming parents is not an answer. Improving attendance is a partnership: parents, schools and social service agencies. Why do schools with the same demographics vary so significantly in attendance?
If the system fails to teach a student to read and numerate by the third grade the chances are overwhelming that the student will fall further and further behind. What we call remediation has never addressed the issue adequately.
There are highly effective programs for new immigrants, watch the U-Tube here, you will find it revelatory.
The Report suggests we teach students to think creatively is a worthy goal, although can be elusive.
Should credit accumulation require seat time, or show proficiency on performance tasks?
How do we measure school, teacher and student performance? Is accountability punishment by another name?
All complex topics with a wide range of opinions.
In the real world of school, preparing students for life after school means graduating and I fear we are not specifically addressing issues we know are obstacles to graduation.