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Walking standard

Akron students are getting the message: Pass the tests

Ohio's high school Class of 2007 was the first required to pass the Ohio Graduation Tests to get a diploma. The new tests, tougher than the Ohio Proficiency Tests they replaced, set a graduation standard based on mastery of 10th-grade material. That was an improvement. The old tests required proficiency at the ninth-grade level.

Still, after seven opportunities to take the tests, beginning in the spring of the sophomore year, 127 seniors in Akron schools were among a few thousand students statewide who had not passed all five sections of the new tests by graduation day.

Performance has improved this year, and well it should. The number of Akron seniors who are yet to pass all sections (reading, writing, math, social studies and science) is below 80 this year, not counting special education students, who are not held to the graduation standard.

Students and families better understand the expectations and the effort they need to put into earning a diploma. The Akron school board has held firmly — and rightly so — to its policy not to permit nongraduating students to take part in commencement. For some students, missing out on the strut across the stage may be the concrete reality they'll take into account.

The improved passing rate is indication, too, that the schools are doing a better job of preparing students for the tests, identifying the struggling ones and providing them additional help and tutoring during the school year and in summer classes.

All the same, if Ohio is to realize the goal of world-class schools, it will have to raise the bar still higher than a 10th-grade achievement level.

Ohio's high school Class of 2007 was the first required to pass the Ohio Graduation Tests to get a diploma. The new tests, tougher than the Ohio Proficiency Tests they replaced, set a graduation standard based on mastery of 10th-grade material. That was an improvement. The old tests required proficiency at the ninth-grade level.

Get the full article here.


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