The Texas Tribune touches on the controversies associated with it - especially allegations that by limiting end of course tests, and redusing the number of required sources, the state is watering down is high school education standards.
Senators are hearing testimony Tuesday on House Bill 5, which does away with the state’s so-called 4X4 graduation plan, which requires four years of courses in math, science, social studies and English. Instead, students would complete a “foundation” program with four credits in English, three in math, two in science, three in social studies and earn "endorsements" by completing five credits in areas like humanities, science, engineering, technology and math, and business and industry.
Speaking Monday night at a “tele-town hall” hosted by Empower Texans, Gov. Rick Perry said that he was in favor of keeping the 4X4 plan while also noting the national attention.
“I support the efforts to re-evaluate our state’s curriculum but we need to keep that 4x4, those four years of science, those four years of math, and protect the academic rigor that keeps our graduates able to compete in the global marketplace,” Perry said.
A battle seems to be brewing that pits Senator Patrick against governor. Perry seems worried about what the reduction in course requirements will have on Texas' competitiveness. Other opponents believe the reduction will negatively affect job prospects for minority students.
Sen. Leticia Van De Putte, D-San Antonio, offered an amendment, which has not yet been voted on, that would automatically place students in the college preparatory plan and allow them to "opt over" to a career-skills focused graduation plan if they earned low scores on their state standardized exams. It would also add a fourth year of math and science to core curriculum. She said it addressed concerns raised by national advocacy groups like LULAC and MALDEF that the legislation would hurt the academic achievement of low-income and minority students because they would not be encouraged to take the most rigorous courses.
"There's a way to have high-level math and science courses that are relevant to a career," she said.
The business community is divided on the legislation — a fact Patrick alluded to when he challenged the "misinformation" that a majority of Texas businesses are against it.
Some leaders, like Texas Association of Business CEO Bill Hammond and Texas Institute for Education Reform Chairman Jim Windham, who both testified Tuesday, see it as backing off from hard-won accountability measures.
Windham said that it would be a "huge disservice" to the state if algebra I and English II became the highest level for state standardized exams, adding that all of the current 15 tests should continue to be administered and reported to the state, whether or not they were required for graduation.
"What gets measured gets done," he said.
But others, like Hector Rivero, the president of the Texas Chemical Council, favor the changes. Speaking on behalf of a coalition that represents 300,000 companies in the state, Rivero said, those companies couldn't find workers with the qualifications necessary to meet their high-paying jobs.
"The current education system while well-intentioned is not meeting needs of employers," he said.
A few related links:
- TLO: HB 5.
- TEA: State Graduation Requirements.
