09/20/12Va. Schools Could Face More Rigorous Standards on Math Tests
Washington Post (09/20/12) Shapiro, T. ReesAll Virginia students in the 2017-18 school year will be expected to meet a 73 percent passing rate on math tests under a plan aimed at narrowing achievement gaps among students of all backgrounds. Schools would be required to reduce achievement gaps on standards-of-learning exams between different student groups by 50 percent. Students must meet or exceed a minimum pass rate every year. The passing rate for black students will have to improve by 28 percent to meet the 73 percent standard by 2017, while the white students' passing rate would have to increase only 5 percent. State Superintendent of Public Instruction Patricia Wright says that the revised standards will create a "high bar" for students who are currently underperforming, but they are attainable. "It is important to remember that closing achievement gaps is not the same as eliminating achievement gaps," she explains. The State Board of Education is expected to vote on the new plan in October.
