By: Sandra

Sandra — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 19:19:26 +0000

I am not opposed to exit exams for seniors, TYPICAL seniors. However, some special needs children who we know will not be able to hold down a technical job or a high paying job, who struggle just to learn basic living skills so they will be able to be independent enough to live in a group home should be exempt from these tests. These kids may be able to learn a trade by hands on instruction and they will not be able to get into a program at say TTC without a diploma. They should be having to take courses in school that teach them how to function in the world after high school, very basic abc’s and +-/* math, enough to balance a checkbook and compare prices at the grocery store. Not all special needs children are in this catagory, some are brilliant enough to understand the curriculum and pass the exit exams and go onto college, but some are not. The best thing we can do for those who cannot do so is to teach them life skills. Unless we want the citizens of the state to flip the bill for these kids not being productive because the school system didn’t want to teach them what they needed to be a productive citizen. And it takes state and federal money to invest in the education of all students including those who need life skills more than algebra or history, not to say that those aren’t important because they are, but these kids will never use them. Everyone is teachable, but teaching them what they need depending on their abilities is the best thing we could do for these kids.

By: John Thompson: The Costs and the Lost Benefits of Graduation Exams « « DediCommDediComm

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 02:25:35 +0000

[...] is an effort to repeal or delay the new graduation requirements because about 16% of the state’s seniors began the year needing to pass one or more of their [...]

Comments on: Oklahoma considers dropping high-school exit exams

By: Sandra

By: John Thompson: The Costs and the Lost Benefits of Graduation Exams « « DediCommDediComm