‘Redesign’ for schools at standstill
BOISE – A controversial proposal to beef up Idaho’s high school curriculum and require more math and science could be improved by backing away from specific courses, state Superintendent of Schools Marilyn Howard told lawmakers Thursday.
“The important question here is what it means to be an educated adult,” Howard told the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee. “We have to adjust our thinking away from course titles and toward standards.”
Howard said she favors requiring four years of math for all high school students – but wants the choice of math courses left to local school districts, rather than being determined by the state.
She said that might even allow advanced math concepts to be incorporated into courses on woodworking or music. “We need to connect mathematics to what the students are doing, make it more relevant,” she said. “It’s a new sophistication to teaching that we haven’t had.”
The state Board of Education’s proposal has run into trouble in the Legislature, with the Senate Education Committee rejecting it on a 5-4 vote and the House Education Committee deadlocking 9-9. Because the proposal is being made through the administrative rules process, it will stand unless it’s rejected by the committees in both houses. But the House Education Committee hasn’t yet scheduled another vote.
Chairman Jack Barraclough, R-Idaho Falls, said Thursday that he planned to take some time before calling for another vote.
State Board of Education spokeswoman Luci Willits said, “It’s in a holding pattern. The session is still young.”
The state board initially promoted the plan as a “redesign” of Idaho’s high school curriculum. But some of its more sweeping aspects were roundly criticized in public hearings around the state, from requiring sixth graders to begin planning career choices to requiring a C average in all middle school core courses. Those were eliminated, and in the end, the plan that was proposed focused mainly on adding requirements for high school graduation – a senior project, a third year of science, and a third and fourth year of math.
The board’s plan requires students to take pre-algebra, algebra, geometry and Algebra 2, but allows them to “opt out” of Algebra 2 in favor of a different math class.
“Right now there’s no minimum for what students have to take in order to graduate,” Willits said. “It’s important to our state and for our kids.”
The redesign plan was proposed in part because Idaho has a high rate of high school graduates, but very low rates of those graduates going on to any form of higher education. The board reasoned that more rigor in high school would leave students better prepared for college or technical school, or for demanding jobs.
Howard said the board is on the right track in seeking to “keep students engaged in math.” She called for encouraging school districts to advance student learning by giving them extra teachers, which local districts could use to add advanced courses or to help students struggling with the basics, according to their needs.
Howard also called for support for Gov. Dirk Kempthorne’s proposal to expand community college services statewide, and for funding the initial expenses the board had requested for its high school reform effort – which would go to teacher training in math and offering additional advanced placement courses online.
“School administrators and teachers want students to be prepared for life,” Howard said. “Given the flexibility and resources needed, they can do so.”