Pair urges tougher prep diploma standards

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Delaine Eastin and California State University Chancellor Barry Munitz proposed a set of high school graduation standards at a conference last week that if implemented will improve public education by establishing requirements statewide that students must learn before graduation from high school.

Eastin said subject requirements that affect students are still being modified. The draft form presented by Eastin is the first attempt in California to establish consistent statewide standards. Eastin said the current system of school districts adopting their own standards leaves students poorly prepared to enroll in colleges and universities. The standards will obviously have a clear impact on college campuses.

The standards in math include competency in algebra, measurements, geometry, data analysis, mathematical reasoning and calculation. English standards include reading, writing, grammar, word usage, literature and speaking and listening skills.

The standards, compiled by the California Education Round Table, will next need to be adopted by the State Board of Education. But before that happens public hearings will be held to gather input from interested parties.

The Round Table will then submit a final draft to a state commission on academic standards. That commission will then decide whether to implement those standards or others in use by other states.

The California State Trustees received the proposed standards with praise. Their involvement in this project shows the interest higher education institutions have in preparing incoming students for college level courses and phasing out of remedial education. An effort to phase out remedial education in the Cal State system started last year.

Cal State Long Beach President Robert Maxson would also like to see a set of standards implemented. Whether this happens at the K-12 grade level, Maxson said he plans to set standard at the college level for freshmen. With freshmen enrollment up this semester by 12 percent over last year and a projected increase next year, Maxson said he wants to see them succeed.

"I think we have to work harder at the retention of students," he said. "We need to make sure that all freshmen take freshman English and math before they register as sophomores."

Currently freshmen can take these courses after their first year as long as they do so before graduation.

"Those two courses are the building blocks," Maxson said. "You need those freshman English and math classes to be successful in others."

A task force organized by Academic Affairs is also recommending general education changes that would impose new requirements needed for graduation.

In a meeting last month, the committee recommended changes, primarily geared for freshmen, in reading, writing and arithmetic. The committee expects its recommendations to be in place by Fall1998.