re: LA BESE Education Board proposes HS diplomas for students failing state tests

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In all honesty, we should all be championing this idea of qualitative measurement over the antiquated, factory-model multiple-guess tests students are still taking.

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This sounds like the kind of thing where people who got a 3.8 but a 20 on the ACT blame it on being a bad test taker instead of the fact that they simply don’t actually know the material. They memorized it for tests, but they don’t actually know it nor do they know how to apply it.

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students to receive a diploma by completing a teacher-graded portfolio

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In all honesty, we should all be championing this idea of qualitative measurement over the antiquated, factory-model multiple-guess tests students are still taking. I have my doubts as to how the portfolios will be evaluated in this case, but it should become the new standard for all students.

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They already do this. It’s called report cards, and too many teachers are inflating grades and passing problem students.

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They already do this. It’s called report cards, and too many teachers are inflating grades and passing problem students.

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That's where the state accountability measures come into place.

One of the best experiences I ever had in education was at a top public school that required all seniors to submit a senior project as part of graduation. Students undertook a problem in a subject area of particular interest to them. They sought out a community mentor, researched the subject, and formulated a solution to the problem. They then had to present their work publicly. The project inherently integrated all academic subjects within a single project. Some of the best projects came from vo-tech, athletes, and others groups of students some might not otherwise think of as traditional academics/scholars.

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Let’s just act like everyone is graduating and doing great, so that we look better!

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This has been happening since Covid anyway. How any kid doesn’t complete HS is beyond me.

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All this does is handicap children for life. Long term, you’re essentially handicapping generations of children into poverty with zero chance of breaking the cycle.

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And that is exactly what democraps want!

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One of the best experiences I ever had in education was at a top public school that required all seniors to submit a senior project as part of graduation. They sought out a community mentor, researched the subject, and formulated a solution to the problem. They then had to present their work publicly.

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Big key is top public school.

How many top public schools have kids that can’t pass a minimum standard state test required for graduation?

Projects like mentioned are doable in top schools and in some districts, but they would be difficult if not next to impossible in others. It’s not just the students or teachers but also funding and the community affecting the process.

I do agree that multiple choice tests aren’t always best way to distinguish between higher levels of achievement in the classroom or show the student’s ability to apply that knowledge, but we are talking about a bare minimum standard to graduate with these standardized tests.

If a student fails these minimum state tests while getting passing grades or higher in the classes the teachers, the schools, and the districts should also be held accountable not allowed to grade or judge any project that will hide their incompetence.

Have to admit. Didn't realize that the LA Department of Education does not have authority over education/graduation standards.

Seems like BESE would be the advisory board and Dept of Education would be the ones actually making the rules.

Right out of college I had no clue what I wanted to do. I interviewed for a teaching position at a rural high school so I could coach football.

The interviewers kept talking about what BESE says and this and that. Finally I said, who is Bessy?

I didn’t get the job.

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I’ve never understood why people, myself included, refer to it as the “BESE Board” when the B stands for Board.

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The BESE board makes sure you learn things like how to get money out of an ATM machine with a PIN number; the board is part of the Department of Redundancy Department.

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Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) members gave preliminary approval to a new regulation that would allow those students to receive a diploma by completing a teacher-graded portfolio

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