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Thursday, June 21, 2007
Increasing Standards: Will Kids Drop Out Or Rise Up?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
There are so many interesting facets regarding the state superintendent of school’s push for more rigorous high school graduation requirements. But one of the key issues educators are grappling with is whether raising those standards will push more students to give up, drop out and fade away.
Some high school teachers say that too many students are coming to them behind and unprepared, and that they can’t handle the level of course work they’re getting now. Others say the problem is that kids aren’t being challenged, so they get bored and leave school.
This, of course, is an age-old debate — whether talking about toughening a curriculum, a standardized test or a diploma.
So who’s right: Teachers who worry that even more students will be discouraged right out of high school or those who say kids, once given a real challenge, will rise to meet it?
