News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Sisters children who are currently in the seventh grade may have to work a little harder to graduate from Sisters High School.
According to a draft proposal which was to be presented to the Sisters School Board on Tuesday, February 16, starting with the Class of 2004, students must earn a "C" or better (70 percent or better) to get credit for a course.
Students would also have to successfully complete "work samples" which are based on the state-mandated standards of the Certificate of Initial Mastery.
The district is also considering a separate option that would require that students achieve certain scores on the CIM test taken in 10th grade in order to graduate. However, according to schools superintendent Steve Swisher, the current proposal tying grades to standards seems to be more favored by teachers and parents.
The proposal raises the academic bar, but stops well short of making the state Certificate of Initial Mastery a graduation requirement. School officials acknowledge that if full CIM qualification was made a graduation requirement, many students wouldn't make it.
According to curriculum director Lora Nordquist, Sisters schools are trying to determine "what's high enough to push (students) but not too high so we're losing lots and lots of kids."
Under the draft proposal, students couldn't slide through with a "D," and would have to demonstrate through the work samples that they can apply certain skills. For example, a high school English class could require six samples of different writing and speech styles - expository, persuasive and imaginative.
Passing scores on the work samples would be set slightly lower than CIM requirements.
"I think this is the core of education reform: that you have to show that you can do certain things," Nordquist said.
According to Nordquist, the higher standards shouldn't be much of a stretch for students, other than those with special educational needs.
Students who qualify as special needs students would continue to work under modified programs.
"I don't think we're leaving many kids behind at all," Nordquist said.
According to Nordquist, for virtually all of the students stuck at the "65 percent" level "it's not an ability issue; it's an effort issue."
But Nordquist acknowledges that the schools need to make sure that all students have a real shot at meeting the standards.
The plan, if approved, would not be implemented for two years,, in part to give the schools time to develop programs to assist students who aren't meeting standards.
The delay in implementation would also allow teachers and administrators to develop clear standards for "What is success and how... we get there," according to Nordquist.
The school board, along with teachers and parent groups, will continue to review options.
According to Swisher, the school board should act on one of the proposals in April.
Jim Cornelius is editor in chief of The Nugget and author of “Warriors of the Wildlands: True Tales of the Frontier Partisans.” A history buff, he explores frontier history across three centuries and several continents on his podcast, The Frontier Partisans. For more information visit www.frontierpartisans.com.
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