Ohio Graduation Test
From the Enquirer:
Is Ohio’s Graduation Test fair?
The mother of Rashunda Smith, a senior at Aiken College & Career High School in College Hill, said her daughter doesn’t deserve the bad news she received on May 15.
That’s when Rashunda learned she won’t be allowed to graduate because she failed two sections of the graduation test again, even though she passed all of Aiken’s required courses with average-to-good grades. Aiken College & Career High School is rated in Academic Emergency on the state report card, the lowest of five categories.
“She came a long way from being a D student,” Tina Smith said. “… She came to be a B student, getting on the honor roll. But she didn’t pass the OGT.”[…]
In Cincinnati Public Schools, 106 out of 1,804 seniors, or 5.9 percent, will not graduate this week because of the test. That’s three times the failure rate on the old proficiency test in 2006, district spokeswoman Janet Walsh said.
Keith Dailey, a spokesman for Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland, said many of those students are otherwise highly qualified.
“Some students in Ohio who did poorly on the OGT have earned fairly high scores on the ACT, which is a highly researched, reputable, credible test that has been shown to be an indicator of likely success in college,” Dailey said.
Ted Strickland’s office should stop making excuses for teacher unions and bad teachers.
Giving diplomas to students who can’t answer the basic questions on the OGT cheapens the value of an Ohio high school diploma to colleges and employers. And excusing students from having a basic level of knowledge and education only sets them up for failure later in life.
Rick said,
Wrote on June 3, 2007 @ 3:58 am
I really think some miss the point of why people are upset over OGT failure. I know, my daughter failed one portion of the test by 4 points.�She is willing to retake however, her school kicked her when she was down in my opinion. She sits at home for commencement. We both understand the value of proficiency tests.
They call the OGT an achievment test. Brittany was a good student, no disciplinary problems, earned all necessary credits and participated in school programs.� She was told by her school that she wasn't worthy to walk the aisle with her peers. NCLB left Brittany behind. The real achievement is in striving to do your best. She excelled at that. The educational system claims to encourage however, their decision to exclude her is a discouragement. Brittany will get the diploma she earned however, it will be outside the Ohio school system and by an organization that values her efforts.
�There are those that would and have said that Brittany should have studied harder.�I would say to them I only wish you were held to the same standards.
�Rick