http://www.delawareonline.com/newsjournal/local/2004/04/02educatorsshelve.html
Educators: Shelve tiered
diplomas
Stickers could distinguish
merit levels
By VICTOR GRETO
Staff reporter
04/02/2004
In a unanimous straw vote, 16 Delaware superintendents said they supported issuing a regular high school diploma to students this year instead of using the three-tiered diploma system scheduled to begin with this year's graduating seniors.
"Because we appreciate that the governor is going to study the testing issue, for the next year or so we would support keeping the regular high school diploma," said Debbie Wicks, superintendent of Smyrna School District and president of the Delaware Chief School Officers Association.
Wicks said the superintendents also agreed they would want to add a sticker or mark to the diplomas of those who made high enough scores on the Delaware Student Testing Program exams in reading, writing and math to earn a distinguished rating.
Marina Reineman, of Wilmington, whose son has an A average, but who did not score well enough on the state tests for that rating, likes the superintendents' idea.
"They're looking at it from a realistic point of view, and not branding a child according to one test."
Unless the legislature enacts a proposed moratorium on the tiered system, which it may vote on as early as next week, graduating students' diplomas will have a basic, standard or distinguished achievement rating based solely on the state's high stakes 10th-grade standardized tests.
Currently, 10th-graders take three such tests: math, reading and writing. The rating on the diploma depends on the scores in each of the those subject areas, weighted in a formula devised by the state Department of Education. The writing exam is worth half as much as the reading and math exams. In 2006, the state plans to add science and social studies to the weighted total.
A student may score from a low of 1 to a high of 5 on each of the tests. For the diplomas, each student must successfully complete high school course requirements and for a basic, have a weighted average score below 3; for a standard, have a score from 3 to 3.8; and for a distinguished, a score of at least 4.
Based on the 10th-grade high stakes tests given in 2003, about 60 percent of the 7,555 students who took all three tests would earn a basic diploma, about 32 percent would earn a standard diploma and 8 percent would earn a distinguished diploma.
If the moratorium is approved, all graduating seniors this year and next year would receive the same diploma.
Nationally, at least 12 of the states that require exit exams also offer students a tiered system of diplomas. Other states offering tiered diplomas, including Texas and Wyoming, base them on a student's entire body of work, not just a test.
Tracy Channel, the parent of a 17-year-old Dover High School student, said the standardized tests should have no part in determining a diploma rating.
"The test was supposed to represent that all students were getting a fair education," she said.
Channel said she supports giving students a separate certificate if they do well on the test, just as schools do for students who make the honor roll. She said her daughter, Terry, who has a high grade-point average and recently received a scholar-athlete award, would get a standard diploma because of her test scores.
Wicks said the superintendents wanted the distinguished designation because, "We didn't want to disappoint the students who worked for it not to reward them for their work."
Gov. Ruth Ann Minner does not want to disappoint the students either, her spokesman has said. She does not support a moratorium, but she has said she would create a high-level panel of experts from outside Delaware to look at the diploma system and other issues concerning the state's standardized testing regimen.
Susan Poholsky, parent of a Middletown high school junior, said she thought the superintendents' straw vote was "great." But she said the "sticker" or "mark" the superintendents' suggest should specifically state that it is based on the testing, not four years of high school.
"To place everything on one test score is wrong," she said.
Karen Johnson, also of Middletown and the mother of a DelCastle Technical High School honors student, agreed.
"If it was based on their grades, the distinguished mark would be fine," she said. "I would be fine with the three-tiered diploma, too, if it was based on all the grades."
The three-tiered diploma will look like the same diploma the state always has used, said Ron Gough, Department of Education spokesman.
But this year, instead of a State Board of Education gold embossed seal in the middle lower portion, he said, there will be either a gold seal, with the words "Distinguished Diploma;" a silver seal with "Standard Diploma;" or a bronze seal, with "Basic Diploma."
Reach Victor Greto at 324-2832 or vgreto@delawareonline.com.
Copyright ©2004, The News Journal.