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By Associated Press

M50o93H7pQ09L8X1t49cHY01Z5j4TT91fGfr New Rules For Graduation

Published: Thu, May 08, 2008 - 11:36 am
Last Updated: Thursday, May 08, 2008 - 10:09 pm

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) - The State Board of Education has
unanimously voted to change the requirements for Alabama's high
school diploma.
The board also passed an emergency rule amendment to allow
seniors who have not passed all five sections of the high school
exit exam to graduate this year.
The votes drew shouts and applause from the audience at the
Thursday meeting where several parents spoke and told of their
children's' struggle to pass some parts of the exam.
The changes would become mandatory for all school systems in the
2008-09 school year, but some could start on a voluntary basis this
fall.
The biggest change automatically enrolls all students for the
state's Advanced Diploma and gives parents the choice of opting
their children out to get the Basic Diploma.
Currently all students get the Basic Diploma unless they sign up
for the advanced track.

You can read the proposal that was approved. Just click here.

For more information on the Alabama Graduation Exam, click here.

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Has the school gotten this lax? That they dont care anymore what is it ? Well I see where are the cutt backs are coming in now I support it .. If they dont have to teach the kids the exit exam then I guess it will save us some tax dollars? What do you think ?You know I had to take and PASS all my parts to the exit exam and Iam proud of it ! But its not fair to the classes of 01-08 that had to take and pass theirs just to walk with the class . I saw many kids that didnt get this chance . They failed parts that now dont even have to be taken . Now you wouldnt like that would you ? They got certificates that say they compleated 12 yrs of school does employers take those now instead of diplomas? I dont think so. You know they say the kids wont use this after school .. Well I didnt use them either but I had to pass them ! Iam a proud stay at home mom but I had to take and pass mine to graduate ! There are many that didnt get this chance !
Thanks Beth

Posted by KEVIN_BETHYOUNG on 05/09/08 - 9:00 am • Report Abuse

The children were not called “Dumb”. The action taken by the Alabama Board of Education will lower the education standards. There are a lot of graduates working in businesses who can’t make change properly if they lose power to their cash register. They are not able to figure math problems with just a pencil and a piece of paper.

We should reward the children who have worked so hard and really earned their diploma. The tests are given several times. The children who need extra help on certain portions of the exam should get the help that they need. It is a very exhilarating feeling for both student and teacher when you witness their eyes light up when they finally understand something with which they have been having problems. They are so excited that they want to continue with the lessons just to show you that they can do it.

When a child is given assistance, praised for their good work and not made to feel inadequate, they will excel.

Posted by Crystal Teeny on 05/09/08 - 8:54 am • Report Abuse

you dont get an education by making the test easy,life is not easy,if you just hand them a diploma they have learned nothing,what a leader.the majority passed by hard work now they want to give the ones who did not study a diploma,how is that going to help them and how do you think the students feel that worked hard all these years.way to go mobile you should put out a lot of not so smart students from now on.duh.

Posted by ronald t on 05/09/08 - 3:13 am • Report Abuse

This Is so not fair! I am a class of 2007 graduate from Theodore High School. We had to pass all the grad exams to walk across stage. Now they are practically handing out diplomas. What is next, they will not have to have all the credits. The subjects that the school board is saying Seniors may never take again are wrong. For instance I am a freshmen in college and I have had to take a least one class in every subject. I think this is also unfair to the senior from last year who came to school over the summer and continued to take the exams in order to receive their diplomas. What kind of standards are you setting! I have a two year old child and it is nice to know when she becomes a senior She could possibly pay for her diploma!! What is the meaning of education?

Posted by Anastasia on 05/08/08 - 10:27 pm • Report Abuse

Perhaps if teachers were ALLOWED to teach, and formulate their own “final exams,” we would not have the high drop out rate we do today. I don’t think that is “dumbing them down.” It is giving the child the opportunity to excel without politics telling them how. It is giving them a challenge to be better and do better, without criticizing them for not passing a test that is written by someone who sits in an office all day and is not even involved in the classroom.

Posted by rmseek1234 on 05/08/08 - 7:20 pm • Report Abuse

I don’t remember having to pas a grad exam, but of course that was in the 80’s. I personally feel that some of these “standardized tests” are ridiculous and unfair. For example-the CRT’s. One of my children had a 105 average, but the CRT pulled it down to a 98. I know, big deal, an A is an A-but not when you are looking at the possibility of being Valedictorian. Another child actually had an A, and was pulled down to a B because of the CRT. There went 9 weeks of hard work, based on one test that sometimes has questions that are not even covered in class. I think children should be given the opportunity to excel, and not be negatively impacted by a “test.” I know of several students, that have done well throughout school, but had difficulty passing the grad exam. Maybe the exam should be teacher based and not state based, as every teacher has their own style of teaching, just as every student has their own style of learning and retaining information. continued....

Posted by rmseek1234 on 05/08/08 - 7:16 pm • Report Abuse

I am a proud parent of a senior who worked hard all of her years in shool. And I dont think that its wrong to give the kids a chance to pursue their dreams in life. Especiallywhen teachers were tested and couldnt pass the test. These test are harder than when I was in school and you wonder why most kids drop out and began illegal activities in the streets. Its because of the negative feed back from others now what if this was your child? And please dont use the word dumb,some kids are not as smart as others but at least they tried and didnt give up. think about what you say and on another note that city worker could have been your son in law he is suppoirting his family GOD said not to judge and yea shall not be judge!!!!!!!!! tish

Posted by tish on 05/08/08 - 6:43 pm • Report Abuse

If your child has went to school for 12 or more years of their life and they still can’t pass the Graduation exam well, they don’t need a get out of school free card. From what I am told by my nephew who is a graduating highschool senior this year is that you have at six or more times to pass the five part exam. The Alabama State board of Education seriously needs to rethink this rule. You are rewarding them for not passing the exam by letting them graduate. But I do think the part about the Advanced Diploma is a good idea.

Posted by htr on 05/08/08 - 3:49 pm • Report Abuse

I actually think the Advanced Diploma requirements are good. My children are all honors students and those that are in high school are getting the Advanced/Honors diploma. The main difference between this diploma and the basic diploma is the level of difficulty of the classes-example algebra as opposed to basic math, and the foreign language requirement. Algebra, foreign language and fine arts are all things that are going to be required (usually) in college. Why not start preparing them for college and real life early on?

Also, with an Advanced/Honors diploma the GPA is weighted, meaning that since the classes are harder, the GPA will be higher. This affects scholarships for academic excellence. I think we NEED to challenge our kids. Perhaps, some of the problems with delinquency and drop-outs have been from boredom? JMO

Posted by rmseek1234 on 05/08/08 - 2:19 pm • Report Abuse

Looking out my window I see two city workers cleaning out a big ditch. Would these two workers have the Basic High School Diploma or the Advanced High School Dipolma? Maybe the weedeater operator has the Advanced Dipolma and the guy with the shovel has the Basic Diploma and the six other workers that have been sitting around for the last two hours watching those two work must be the high school drop outs.

Your tax dollars at work.

Posted by working4u on 05/08/08 - 1:08 pm • Report Abuse