Will changing course on math lower curriculum standards?

Rigor will remain high, more students will have more options.

By John D. Barge

Two years ago, our current 11th graders entered high school taking the Georgia Performance Standards in math. The standards are much more rigorous than the old curriculum, which I applaud. However, at the same time we raised the rigor, we created the perfect storm.

We had a major shift in the way the curriculum was delivered — from a discrete approach to an integrated one. Then, the economy took its sharp decline, providing few resources for teacher professional development. A group of teachers from each school district received a few days of training, and then were expected to go back and train all of the teachers in their own district. That is not the ideal way to roll out a brand new curriculum.

While I don’t believe there is a right or wrong way for the delivery of our math curriculum, I do believe students learn differently and should be given the option of learning through a different teaching method. The integrated approach is not working for all of our students, and we are responsible for preparing all of them!

That’s why I applaud the action our State Board of Education recently took to give local school districts the flexibility to choose what is best for their students. They know their students much better than we do at the state level. With either delivery model, the rigor of the current mathematics standards will not be compromised.

The State Board also allowed students who have struggled under this math delivery to receive core academic credit for the support courses that go along with Math I, Math II and Math III.

Some would say we are retreating from the rigor by allowing credit for these support classes because our graduation rule requires students to complete at least through Math III. I can certainly see why some may think that; however, I would say this is a recognition that a one-size-fits-all approach to mathematics and graduation is counterproductive to the expectation that we prepare students to lead successful lives when they leave us, regardless of their postsecondary paths.

Our current graduation rule requires that all students earn four units of math to graduate, including Math I through Math III, and a fourth math course. On our current integrated delivery model, Math III is the equivalent of trigonometry and statistics. So, even students with learning disabilities in mathematics must complete trigonometry and statistics in order to earn a diploma. Rigorous expectations? Absolutely. Realistic expectations? No.

We currently have thousands of students in 11th grade who have one or no math credits toward the four required to graduate. Without allowing these students to earn credit for their support classes, many of them will ultimately give up on high school, simply because they couldn’t grasp the concepts of math in an integrated fashion.

Our current GPS math curriculum is far more rigorous than our previous curriculum, meaning a student who graduates with Math I and II, as well as Math I and II Support, is far better prepared in mathematics than he or she would have been under our old curriculum.

While this isn’t an ideal situation, I would rather these students have options for careers and/or another form of postsecondary education or training when they leave us.

Let me be clear, I don’t believe in just giving out a high school diploma to students that haven’t earned it. But, many of these students have shown in multiple ways that they deserve it.

The intervention we provided this week for our high school students doesn’t lower the rigorous bar we’ve set; it simply gives them other opportunities to be successful. Without this intervention, the door to the future for thousands of our young people will be closed.


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Former Students Realize Online Education Can Help Them Get Ahead in Tight Economy

/USNewswire/ -- Teen pregnancy, poverty, discipline problems, and boredom. The reasons for high school dropout are many, and rarely spur of the moment. Moreover, according to a recent speech by President Obama, this translates to more than 3,300 American youth dropping out of high school every day.

Dropout is most common following a long process of disengagement and academic struggle. These students have run out of motivation and have minimal support or encouragement in school or at home.

Sadly, for many, it's the start of a trend that will follow them for life. Without a high school diploma, they will have a harder time finding a job, and they will earn much less when they do find one. They are more prone to health issues, living in poverty, and having children at an early age, who in turn have a higher propensity to drop out of high school themselves.

Today, high school dropouts earn about $10,000 less each year compared to workers with diplomas, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. In addition, in today's economy, the employment chain has changed dramatically, threatening these lower rungs of the earning ladder. Many jobless baby boomers find themselves competing for jobs with college graduates and undergraduates, while college students are competing with high school students and dropouts. March unemployment figures from the federal Bureau of Labor show that unemployment was 13.3% among people 25 and older with less than a high school diploma, compared to 8.5% overall.

Online Education Offers Hope for the Future

While many teen dropouts eventually go back to school to get their diploma and then on to earn a college degree, going back comes at a price. With the window for state-funded schooling closed, returning students now must make the sacrifice to go to school as a working adult and pay tuition.

The good news is that there are ways to obtain a high school education without spending a lot of money. Online education schools such as Ashworth High School, whose online high school program is regionally accredited by Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Council on Accreditation and School Improvement (SACS CASI), recently became even more affordable this summer by reducing tuition on its general, college preparatory and vocational programs by as much as 35%.

"Education is an essential part of our country's DNA," said Gary Keisling, Ashworth President and CEO. "With approximately 1.2 million drop outs annually, we're committed to making high school accessible and affordable when these former students are ready to study again."

"Not only is our tuition as much as 55% less than other online high schools, when you account for any transfer credits and the elimination of expenses such as transportation and child care, a student saves even more," Keisling added. He also went on to explain that another benefit of studying online is the added advantage of a self-paced curriculum which can be arranged around full-time jobs and/or family obligations.

The Sloan Survey of Online Learning Report states that online education has increased by over 16% in the past three years, and growth is projected to continue, as the benefits become widely known.

Let the Student Beware: Accreditation vs. a Diploma Mill

According to Dr. F. Milton Miller, Ed.D. and Ashworth College Vice President of Education, students who do a little homework to learn about accreditation can have peace of mind that their education will be respected by employers. "Employers often want proof that applicants have the right credentials, and one of the most important things they look for is a diploma from an accredited school," he said.

When seeking out an online high school, one needs to make sure the institution is accredited. Dr. Miller advises, "if you want your diploma to be accepted by employers and other schools, your best bet is to enroll in a school where the accrediting body is approved by the Department of Education." Dr. Miller cautions "diploma mills will either openly sell degrees for cash or pretend to be legitimate. Sadly, many students 'graduate' from these diploma mills thinking they have earned a real degree."

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Ashworth College and Montgomery Job Corps Partner to Deliver Accredited High School Diploma Curriculum to Area Youth

/PRNewswire/ -- Ashworth College today announced that it has been named the exclusive provider of high school text books to Montgomery Job Corps. Ashworth, a leader in distance education, offers a wide range of flexible career-focused diploma and degree programs.

The Alabama Montgomery Job Corps affiliate and its national parent organization assist local youth, ages 16 through 24, to improve their quality of life through vocational and academic training. In combination with hands on career training, participating students complete core classes to fulfill graduation requirements.

"Our high school diploma programs have been developed to specifically address the needs of working adults and non-traditional high school students which makes Ashworth a natural fit," said F. Milton Miller, Ed.D. and Ashworth Vice President, Education.

"We're excited to be working with the Montgomery Job Corps Center. They are committed to teaching young people the skills needed to become employable which can include completing their high school education," Miller added. "By helping these students earn a high school diploma, together we will be giving them significant career advantages, compared to not having a diploma or a GED."

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, high school graduates can earn as much as 23% more per year compared to someone who did not receive their high school diploma.

Ashworth offers an extensive high school curriculum which includes high school correspondence courses and high school online diploma programs in general and college preparatory studies, vocational high school and a broad range of single high school courses.

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