Change is not always good.

Hello Ladies and Gentlemen, 

I hope everyone has had a good and productive week! School just seems to be flying by. I'm pretty sure no one minds that though. Anyways, I'd like to get your opinions about an article I read this week about Texas changing graduation requirements for high school students.

The article goes into detail about how Texas legislation and lawmakers are "scrambling" to diminish the requirements for graduation of high schoolers that was passed only four years ago. Just so we are clear what law was passed four years ago is referred to the "4x4" which means in order to graduate high school in Texas all students must complete 4 years in English Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies. The law was initially passed to help prepare students for college curriculum, and most students who attended high school in Texas graduated by this plan (also known as the "recommended plan"). Problem is, now many individuals are wanting to change the "4x4" rule and instead lessen the years/credits in mathematics, sciences, and social studies. To compensate for students having fewer credits in these three subjects they would be required to have "endorsements" in order to get their diploma. The endorsement courses would be offered in areas such as business and industry, engineering, and humanities.

Many professionals and education agencies and organizations seem to agree that Texas should "scale back" on math, science, and social studies. A few people have mentioned that by removing the 4x4 plan students have more freedom to choose what they feel is best for them after graduation. This is simply saying that if Texas does eliminate the 4x4 rule then students who do not desire to go to a four year college could already be trained and ready to start a job right after graduation due to taking the "endorsement" courses. Several of the arguments that are made state that plenty of industrial, manufacturing, and mechanical jobs are available for people with just a high school diploma, but because the fresh graduates do not have the required knowledge or skills they cannot be accepted for the open positions. I can understand that a four year university is not for every student, but I do not agree with taking out the 4x4 rule in our high schools.

If Texas does choose to do away with the 4x4 requirement then the number of students who need remedial math in college will most likely increase. The number of students needing remedial math is already high, but we would be adding more to it if less math credits is required to graduate. In turn, more students taking remedial math in college would cost the state over 1 million dollars.  Math is a pretty sore subject for most people, and I know from personal experiences that not all high school graduates or college students can identify the Pythagorean theorem (see picture below). This is a formula to find missing measurements of a triangle, and I know that it is taught in high school.

Retrieved from: http://pixabay.com/en/plate-chalk-mathematics-graphic-67320/

Of course this formula looks complicated, but it really is not. With students freshly graduated and at the college level not knowing how to properly apply this formula to a problem I see cutting back the required amount of credits for mathematics is not the best idea. Instead of cutting back, maybe Texas could implement dual credit for specific courses that students take. An example would be my old high school, it offers pre-nursing courses and within three years (starting your sophomore year) you can earn a few college credit hours and become a CNA (Certified Nurse Aide). This benefited many of my peers who planned on becoming a nurse by allowing them to have first-hand experiences in the field and a strong background knowledge of what to expect before going to nursing school. All I'm trying to say is I believe Texas educators, lawmakers, and legislators would be hurting students more than helping them if they eliminate the 4x4 rule. 

How do you feel about this? Would you have been as successful only taking two years of math in high school? Do you think this is the best decision for the youth of today?

Until next time darlings, 

April Avery