Oregon has decided that until at least 2029, students will not need to demonstrate proficiency in reading, writing, and math in order to receive a high school diploma. The graduation requirement has been paused since 2020, and the state has decided to extend that pause, reports The Oregonian.
Supporters of the requirements state that it gives meaning to the diploma and will encourage those who are at risk of failing the tests to receive additional education or classes to improve their skills.
Supporters of extending the pause of the requirement say that the tests hurt “marginalized students” who have to take extra English and math classes and therefore miss out on electives they would benefit from.
A former legislator commented that the Board of Election “failed to discuss their responsibility for lagging academic achievement in our state. Instead they cast the blame on a tool used to measure a student’s ability to read, write and do math.” She added, “It’s disappointing that these unelected bureaucrats decided to … continue down a path that neglects their responsibility to help students meet high standards.”
The recent tendency in the U.S. to consider academic standards and testing more generally to be “racist” in some form, has the effect of lowering standards and reinforcing a prejudiced view that minority students and job applicants are inherently unable to succeed. A better approach is to reshape the entire mission of the nation, such that students will see their importance in achieving meaningful goals, while revitalizing education through increasing encounters with primary sources and the act of discovery.
