Michigan Tougher Standards

Higher Graduation Requirements Running Into A Glitch

© Barbara Pytel

Jun 13, 2008
Michigan Is Trying Tougher Standards, ablestock.com
Rigor and Relevance is the latest buzz phrase in education. It makes a great banner but how is it playing in real life? Michigan knows.

The new movement to make high school more rigorous and relevant sounds great at workshops. Higher achievement, tougher standards and higher expectations have become banner slogans but how are these affecting high school students?

Tougher Standards Rationale

Michigan has some of the toughest high school graduation requirements in the nation. Michigan’s superintendent of education, Mike Flanagan, feels that it is crucial for Michigan’s welfare to have a well-educated and well-prepared workforce for the future. His fear is that Michigan high school graduates won’t be competitive.

New Standards May Increase Dropout Rate

Michigan’s dropout rate is already 30% and many high school administrators fear that the tougher standards will produce even higher dropout rates. What are those higher standards?

Michigan’s Class of 2011 Requirements

  • Four years of math (including Algebra I, Algebra II and Geometry)
  • Four years of English
  • Three years of science
  • Three years of social studies
  • One year of physical education
  • One year of the arts
  • Online learning experience
  • Two years of a foreign language

This is a typical standard for private prep high schools but not public high schools. Michigan is making exceptions. Students that have IEPs, Individual Education Plans, may be given waivers and may not receive a diploma. They would be given a certificate of attendance if not capable of passing the required classes. The question raised by many employers is what about the marginal students who can not handle these math classes but could do very well at a technical college—what happens to them?

Hot Jobs: Applied Sciences and Technology

Michigan’s new plan may be assuming that students need to attend a four-year college or a technical field requiring challenging math skills to be successful. In reality, the hottest jobs are in the technical fields. The average age of mechanics, welders, electricians, plumbers, and machinists in many states is 55-60 years old. Some have labeled this as an impending labor crisis.

Not only is there a crisis looming in these fields, but cutting edge technical fields like biodiesel, wind technology, alternative energies and ethanol are competing for the kinesthetic learners. As students choose these newest fields, this leaves an even greater gap between society’s existing needs for workers in the more traditional careers.

Shortages create higher wages. Algebra II is not necessary to become a great welder or machinist. Do we want to create a great shortage in some services because someone couldn’t succeed in Algebra II? Many in career education believe that higher math skills will only be required in approximately 20% of future jobs. Requiring higher math skills for every student may be depriving our society of very capable workers that could drop out in frustration.

Past Standards Provided More Opportunities

Public schools have traditionally offered two tracks: technical and college prep. Students chose the track best suited for them and graduated. Michigan’s new standards raise the required classes not allowing students in the technical track to take the classes of interest to them. These are often hands-on professions and predominantly males. Males are already in the minority on most college campuses. Will Michigan’s new standards produce more frustrated males that could have received degrees in Applied Science and fill the needs of our society?

Many that support the more rigorous approach claim that the tougher math standards will help students compete in our society for jobs. While that may be true for some careers, there is already an emergency approaching in the technical and applied science fields. Michigan could be adding to the quickly approaching problem.

Source: Education Week, June 9, 2008


The copyright of the article Michigan Tougher Standards in Curriculum Issues is owned by Barbara Pytel. Permission to republish Michigan Tougher Standards in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.


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Comments
Sep 17, 2008 8:19 AM
Guest :
Obviously, no one consulted with math teachers when they forced this issue. Some very good students may not be able to handle Algebra I, II, and Geometry. They could do well with Consumer Math--a real world skill, General Math--balancing a checkbook, and other real world application classes. Only 20% of less of graduates will use any Algebra in the adult world so why force all students to take classes they will never use in the real world? I preduct that Michigan will see drop out rates increase.
Feb 2, 2009 4:11 PM
Guest :
I am a actual student that has to graduate with these requirements. I have no clue what the state was thinking when they passed this law. I HATE MATH! I do well in all my other classes except math. I fear that I won't beable to graduate with my class because of them. I passed algebra 1 with a D-. I'm in geometry now and i'm failing it. I guess it would really help if we actually spent more time on the sections. We are going through 1 section a day. We arn't learning crap from it...you can't learn something in one day and be expected to remember how to do it for a long time. That is like learning a new name everyday for 2-4 weeks and be expected to remember all the names that you learn. It would really be nice if we got to choose if we wanted to take math because i'm never going to use this crap. I want to be a police...not a rocket scientist. It's not like if I have to shoot someone i'm going to go, "Ok now, I have to hold my gun 90 degrees to the North and and 40 degrees south." Sure, I understand there are some Algebra formulas that I have to use. All the state is doing is hurting kids. The state of Michigan had one of the worst graduation rates with the old requirements. All I can say is that my class is the ginni pig class and when the state relizes that these requirements arn't going to work that my class is going to be screwed. well, most of the people that hate math and isn't good at it. I know the govener is trying to make it easier to pass with the new 4th year classes that I can take after I pass algebra 1, geometry, and algebra 2...but I have to be able to pass all the other math classes before I can take the ones that I will actually use in my life.
Aug 26, 2009 1:48 PM
Guest :
In high school I was a C and D student,and was placed into a vocational program in order to graduate.However,my high school diploma allowed me to enroll into a community college where I earned an associates degree. In December I will graduate with my masters degree after eight long years. Students need time to grow, and you can not label them non-college bound while they are in high school. I am against tougher requirements to graduate because it robs students of the opportunity to return to college later in life. You can always go back, but you need a high school diploma to have a shot!
3 Comments