"A child's learning is the function more of the characteristics of his classmates than those of the teacher." James Coleman, 1972

Friday, April 09, 2010

Massachusetts Set to Deny Diplomas to Almost 3,000 Special Education and ELL Students

Why, you ask? Well, the State must uphold its "world class" tests that are designed, somehow, "to better prepare high school graduates for careers in the booming health and science fields and to help them more easily navigate an everyday world more reliant on technology." Never mind that these special ed students and immigrant students will be cut off forever from any decent career without high school diplomas that are being denied them because of a learning disability or a language deficiency. And they wonder why there is a dropout problem, yes? From the Boston Globe:

With less than two months to go before high school commencements, more than 4,100 seniors across Massachusetts have not met a new state graduation requirement: passing an MCAS science exam.

The students, about 6 percent of the state’s approximately 69,000 12th-graders, have failed the exam repeatedly, most recently in February.

With less than two months to go before high school commencements, more than 4,100 seniors across Massachusetts have not met a new state graduation requirement: passing an MCAS science exam.

The students, about 6 percent of the state’s approximately 69,000 12th-graders, have failed the exam repeatedly, most recently in February.

. .. .

In many cases, schools are dealing with an academically challenging population. Of the remaining 4,119 12th-graders who have not passed, 60 percent receive special education, and more than 12 percent are learning to speak English.

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