Commentary: Launching students to a better future

Job No. 1 for the Maryland public schools is to prepare young men and women for their next step, be it the work force or higher education. That is a powerful responsibility, one which our teachers and administrators take very seriously.

To further improve our students' chances at a better future, the Maryland State Board of Education, with strong support from the business and higher education communities, voted to make passing a slate of High School Assessments a requirement for graduation beginning with the class of 2009. Although the idea was widely embraced, a few remained fearful that our students may not be up to the challenge.

Those doubting whether Maryland was on the right track with High School Assessments got their answer last month.

The results of the last spring's administration of the four High School Assessments revealed that Maryland students are passing them at a much higher rate than they were just one year earlier. Students were making big strides on the tests even before the assessments became a graduation requirement. By last spring, it seems, students, teachers and parents were already taking the tests more seriously. The gratifying results on the freshman and sophomore-level tests speak for themselves.

What do the results say? Scores went up in all four subjects, Algebra/Data Analysis, Biology, English, and Government. Scores went up throughout the state.

Passing the High School Assessments in order to graduate will take effect for those students currently in eighth grade. Although that may seem like a long way off, students, parents and teachers must begin paying close attention. Students will be given each assessment as they near completion of their work in the four courses. If eighth grade students are taking algebra this year, for example, they will be given the test this coming spring.

It is important to strengthen the preparation we give our high school graduates. Employers demand it and changes in the economy make it necessary for every worker to be able to think and act at a higher level than ever before. Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan has spoken often about the need to upgrade worker skills in order to protect them in uncertain times. Our secondary school system needs to serve the requirements of a changing economy, Greenspan told the Omaha Chamber of Commerce earlier this year. Early last century, technological advance required workers with a higher level of cognitive skills.

A strong accountability system, coupled with high quality instructional programs, is one of the best ways to ensure that students are getting the education they need to be successful after they leave our classrooms. The Maryland Business Roundtable for Education and other members of the business community have been steadfast advocates for linking High School Assessment to the diploma.

Maryland can be proud of its system of high standards and accountability. Education Week, the nation's leading education newspaper, has given our state four straight A grades - one of only two states with that record. Just last month, Maryland received more recognition. Measuring Up: 2004, a report by the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education, gave Maryland an A- for the way our schools prepare graduates for postsecondary education. That was the highest grade registered by any state in the mid-Atlantic region.

The High School Assessments are an important tool, and yet we understand that for some students with disabilities an assessment can be a significant hurdle. For that reason, MSDE has initiated a study designed to help develop comparable, rigorous assessments, which would allow such students to receive a Maryland High School Diploma if they successfully complete those tests. Our trend-setting work in this area is being watched by other states around the nation.

There remain other struggles as well. An achievement gap exists between Asian and White students and that of African-American and Hispanic students. Although there are signs of improvement, we all know we must do better. With the bar set, we know we will do better.

By making a slate of basic-level high school assessments a requirement for graduation, the Maryland State Board of Education has taken a courageous step in that direction. It said that our schools can provide a quality education and our students can do the work. The evidence indicates that the State Board was absolutely correct in taking this step, and the Maryland business community deserves special thanks for its efforts in support of the decision.

Without high educational standards, our schools are not doing our students any favors. Only with strong preparation will our graduates be ready for what lies ahead.

Nancy S. Grasmick, Maryland's superintendent of schools, wrote this column for The Daily Record. She can be reached at 410-767- 0462.

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