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Helpful information for the Ontario minister of education
We have blogged before on how the Ontario government has succeeded in lowering the high school drop-out rate by making it easier to graduate from high school (“from a dumbed down curriculum, to credit recovery programs, to automatic bumps for marks as low as 39%, to a requirement that teachers formally defend every failing mark, to prohibitions against deducting marks for late or incomplete assignments, to co-op placements that count as high school credits, and on and on”), but we have to admit that the Ontario government look like pikers compared to some New York high schools, according to this article.
Somebody should tell the Ontario education minister about New York’s credit recovery program, which lends itself to all kinds of abuses, including letting students Google the answers, write the same test over and over again, or even get friends to write the tests on their behalf. With this approach, students can complete an entire course in just one week. Clearly, Ontario is missing the boat.
Credit recovery is an excellent tool. As I understand, this is implemented in most Boards and private schools all across Ontario. This would be ideal if a student who has amassed 45-49 percent average in a subject and (at the discretion of teacher) was not granted a credit. As a matter of fact, in 2 school boards that I have taught in, such a near percentage to passing can go either way. When you are that close, you conceivably have made some concerted effort (albeit with much difficulty!) in passing. If summer school was not an option for the student, for whatever reason, then the Guidance departments make all earnest efforts ( in case-by-case scenarios) for that student to upgrade.
The ‘bumping’ up from a 39 percent to a passing point indicates that this student has never grasped any of the concepts on a consistent basis. Any school worth their salt should not pass such a student. In fact, our school’s Guidance department (with an noted acumen for enforcing academic standards) will not even consider a student for summer school placement who came in with less than a 40 percent final average.This, unfortunately, is a forfeiture of this subject. Good responsible schools will work with a student to save a credit if it proves to be worthy.