Teachers Give Idaho Schools High Grade

Only 17 states, including Idaho, now have standards in math, science, social studies and English that spell out what children should know and when, the American Federation of Teachers said in its annual report Tuesday.

However, the teachers union said 29 states have clear, specific standards in at least three of the core subjects, up from 21 a year earlier. Writing standards for social studies and English are generally more difficult than for math or science because the subjects are more politically loaded.

Sandra Feldman, president of the 900,000-member union, said there had been clear progress. “Most states are firmly committed to raising their academic standards, and many are making good progress,” she said.

In Idaho, the report said, “all four subjects are clear and specific enough to lead to a common core of learning across the state.”

The AFT has been campaigning for tougher standards to make public schools more challenging and attractive. Uniform standards will assure that students in poor areas and those who move often will get the same chance at learning as everyone else. The report is the union’s third.

Despite the progress in writing standards, the AFT said, many states still must develop tests and find other means to make sure that children are meeting those standards.

The report also said few states have high school graduation exams based on 10th-grade standards and higher, only a few help lowperforming students meet standards, and even fewer are trying to end promotions for students regardless of their performance.

“The major task of connecting state assessment systems with more challenging academic standards is proceeding,” said Gordon M. Ambach, director of the Council of Chief State School Officers, which represents state school superintendents.

The report offered encouragement to President Clinton by calculating that state support for voluntary national tests of fourth-grade reading and eighth-grade math was widespread. The AFT supports Clinton’s national standards proposal.

It found that nine states planned to administer voluntary national tests for fourth-grade reading and eighth-grade math. Only six have told Clinton they would.

Officials from another 12 states and the District of Columbia told the teachers union that they probably would give the tests. Iowa said it definitely would not participate.

Clinton, who was attending a governors’ meeting in Las Vegas. Nev., on Monday, again urged the state executives to lend their support to his push for national standards. Last week he had accused them of dragging their feet on the issue.

The AFT report said all the states except Iowa were working on common academic standards for their students.

Although Iowa has standardized tests, local districts carefully guard their control of education.