Legislature tests Rendell over graduation exams

June 10th, 2008, posted by RobHop

Some state lawmakers are seeking to block a proposal to require new state graduation tests for Pennsylvania high school students, arguing that greater legislative input is needed before the state spends any money on the exams.

But their cause is unlikely to succeed because Gov. Ed Rendell’s administration insists the testing program is essential to establishing uniform graduation requirements for the state’s 501 school districts.

The Senate Education Committee voted 10-1 Monday to approve a measure that would give the Legislature the sole authority to impose any new statewide graduation requirements.

A separate House bill was introduced in April to require the state to consult with the General Assembly before implementing or spending state tax dollars on new graduation tests. It is awaiting a vote by the House Education Committee.Source Link

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graduation tests

On June 10th, 2008 Anonymous said:

Why not give the tests within the first week of the Senior year so that problems are identified in time to fix it if at all possible? Why wait until the end when the idea of having double the number of seniors to educate the next year will implode on the already set in stone budget as more class rooms and teachers are needed to bring students up to a standard set by non educators with little or no business experience. I presume if you flunk the test, college is not in the picture so they will need an education that produces worker bees for the companies coming into business friendly Penna. I would ask all the legislators and their
staffs to be the first to take the test as a trial run….only seems fair.

All the failing schools

On June 11th, 2008 Anonymous said:

All the failing schools will say “We need more money.”
And, they’ll get it.