Barge: Math curriculum could cut grad rates

By Nancy Badertscher

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

State School Superintendent John Barge told House and Senate budget writers Tuesday that the state’s tougher math curriculum will hamper the state’s efforts to turn out more high school graduates.

“I believe our math standards are very good, but the delivery of those standards poses a challenge for many of our students,” he said. “It will, without a doubt, decrease the number of students who are able to graduate and, thus, negatively affect the state’s graduation rate.”

Barge also spoke of his support for a single diploma, but suggested there could be some changes.

“I do believe it’s good to have rigor for all students, but that doesn’t have to look the same for every student (as it currently does),” he said. “We have to make sure that we have a variety of pathways to the single diploma and I will be working on that as one of the top priorities of my administration.”