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I enjoyed reading Mr. Kidder's perspective about the history of public education in our county and his understanding and respect for the value of public education. I also appreciated the piece about the Board of Regents' decision to decouple Regents exams from graduation requirements. I'd like to provide my perspective on this change.
First, I understand the notion that Regents exams can provide a level of rigor and accountability to a school district. After all, when there is a standard students must demonstrate to receive a diploma, it can hold an institution accountable to effectively teach that standard. However, I would respectfully argue there are many ways a student can demonstrate proficiency in a standard. At Southwestern, we have spent more than three years examining standards across grade levels and courses. We've identified essential standards, defined what proficiency looks like, and worked to support students who need more time while creating opportunities for those ready to go further. That work gives us a strong foundation for this change.
There are two aspects I am excited about with the change in graduation requirements. First, the state is sending the message that it trusts teachers and educators to do the right thing. They have given us the power to determine what our community needs. This is local control at its best! I would also like to reassure folks that the state has been giving us support. Last week, there was a statewide session, supported by regional BOCES, the education department, and local districts. We were given resources and time to collaborate with our neighboring districts. There have also been groups discussing how we move forward with Portrait of a Graduate. At Southwestern, we have teachers representing elementary, middle, and high school that participate in monthly sessions to give us direction. Our staff discusses a specific portion of the new graduation requirements in each faculty meeting. We are making progress towards this change!
Secondly, I am excited about the opportunities this gives our students. We are committed to making this work meaningful and impactful for our students. The new graduation requirements allow us to connect learning to a student's passion as well as provide interdisciplinary opportunities. For example, let's say a student is interested in the health of Chautauqua Lake and wants to explore solutions for weed growth and algae blooms. One social studies standard for high school students is "Identify, analyze, and evaluate the relationship between multiple causes and effects." A high school science standard is "Design, evaluate, and refine a solution for reducing the impacts of human activities on the environment and biodiversity." A student could complete a project analyzing the issues that impact the health of the lake from a science view and a civic view. What do science studies show about the lake? What governmental agencies are involved with this problem? What local, state, and national laws impact decisions? What is the cost of highly effective solutions, and how will this be paid for? These ideas could be presented through an oral debate, a presentation, or a paper discussing their findings. I suggest this is much more rigorous than answering a multiple-choice question on a test!
Standardized testing still has a place, and we will continue to offer it. But students can show what they know in more than one way. At Southwestern, we will not lower our standards or accept a lesser education. We will use this opportunity to make learning more meaningful, with our neighboring districts and community as partners. Together, we can prepare students to contribute positively to the place we call home.
Yours in Education,
Molly Moore is superintendent of the Southwestern Central School District.