69ý

College & Workforce Readiness

Colo. Rejects More Math, Science Requisites

By Sean Cavanagh — April 03, 2007 3 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print
Email Copy URL

When Colorado lawmakers recently rejected a proposal to increase high school requirements in math and science, they were not only reasserting local school districts’ rights to set their own academic standards, they were also bucking a national trend.

States across the country have increased math and science requirements of late, arguing that those mandates are necessary to prepare students for college and high-quality jobs.

But in Colorado, the House education committee spurned such a move, voting March 22 to defeat a bill that would have required high school students to take four years of mathematics and three years of science before graduation. The panel rejected the bill by an 8-4 vote, with all eight Democrats voting against it and four Republicans in favor.

Opponents said they feared the measure would have forced schools to cut arts, foreign languages, vocational classes, and other elective offerings that help cultivate broader talents among students.

“I believe in a well-rounded education. Those words don’t seem to be in vogue anymore,” said Rep. Michael Merrifield, the Democrat who chairs the committee and a former school music teacher. “There’s no legitimate research I’ve seen that says there’s a magic bullet for creating better students with higher rates of success.”

Colorado is one of only six states that do not set high school graduation requirements for school districts, according to the Education Commission of the States, a Denver-based research and policy organization. Colorado’s constitution also gives districts an unusual degree of freedom from state control in setting curriculum policy.

‘Soft Skills’ Important

University of Colorado President Hank Brown, a Republican former U.S. senator from Colorado, wrote a letter in support of the measure, which he said was penned as a private citizen, not in his official capacity with the school. Colorado State University President Larry E. Penley also wrote in support of the plan.

Graduation Requirements

States have gradually been increasing mandates for how much math and science high school students have to take to earn a traditional diploma. Several states are also phasing in tougher graduation requirements in each subject.

BRIC ARCHIVE

SOURCE: Education Commission of the States

But it drew opposition from the Colorado Association of School Boards, whose members were concerned that the proposed mandates could encourage students who struggle academically to drop out of high school, said Jane W. Urschel, the organization’s associate executive director.

Regardless of other states’ actions, the association believes that it is just as essential for students to develop “soft skills,” in areas such as public speaking and working collaboratively with others, which would be lost as electives were cut, Ms. Urschel said.

69ý are “not all engineers. They may not all want to be engineers,” Ms. Urschel said. School board members, she added, “find it offensive that there is an assumption that every kid wants to go to a four-year college, and that there are inferior dreams.”

States Demanding More

Twenty-four states and the District of Columbia mandate that students take a minimum of three years of math in high school, according to the ECS. While only two states, Alabama and South Carolina, require four years of math, 10 others are phasing in such a requirement.

Twenty states require at least three years of science in high school. One, Alabama, requires four years of study in that subject. Two others, Mississippi and Texas, are phasing in that mandate, the ECS says.

Jennifer Dounay, a policy analyst for the ECS, said she was surprised that the Colorado measure was defeated, not only because of recent state trends, but also because research shows that students who take overly easy courses as high school juniors and seniors struggle with the demands of college.

Many students “are just not getting the message about high school graduation requirements not being the same as what’s required in college,” Ms. Dounay said. A widely circulated study released by the U.S. Department of Education in 1999 showed that students who took a full lineup of academically demanding courses—including Algebra 2 and three years of laboratory science—were more likely to succeed in college. A 2006 follow-up study echoed those findings. (“States Acting to Raise Bar on H.S. Skills,” Feb. 22, 2006.)

The Colorado school boards’ group favors an alternative piece of legislation that would have the state board of education set graduation requirements, but give districts flexibility in deciding whether to meet those mandates. Rep. Robert E. Witwer, a Republican from suburban Denver who sponsored the defeated measure, said it was possible it could re-emerge this legislative session. If not, he vowed to reintroduce it next year.

“We’re competing not only with other states, but with other countries for jobs,” Mr. Witwer said. “Whether [students] go into college or the workforce, these are vital skills.”

A version of this article appeared in the April 04, 2007 edition of Education Week as Colo. Rejects More Math, Science Requisites

Events

School & District Management Webinar Crafting Outcomes-Based Contracts That Work for Everyone
Discover the power of outcomes-based contracts and how they can drive student achievement.
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
School & District Management Webinar
Harnessing AI to Address Chronic Absenteeism in 69ý
Learn how AI can help your district improve student attendance and boost academic outcomes.
Content provided by 
School & District Management Webinar EdMarketer Quick Hit: What’s Trending among K-12 Leaders?
What issues are keeping K-12 leaders up at night? Join us for EdMarketer Quick Hit: What’s Trending among K-12 Leaders?

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.

Read Next

College & Workforce Readiness These 69ý Are the Hardest for 69ý to Track After Graduation
State education chiefs are working with the Pentagon to make students' enlistment data more accessible for schools.
5 min read
69ý in the new Army prep course stand at attention after physical training exercises at Fort Jackson in Columbia, S.C., on Aug. 27, 2022. The new program prepares recruits for the demands of basic training.
69ý in the new Army prep course stand at attention after physical training exercises at Fort Jackson in Columbia, S.C., on Aug. 27, 2022. State education leaders are working with the Pentagon to make graduates' enlistment data part of their data systems.
Sean Rayford/AP
College & Workforce Readiness As Biden Prepares to Leave Office, He Touts His 'Classroom to Career' Work
At a White House event, the president and first lady highlighted their workforce-development efforts.
3 min read
President Joe Biden speaks at the Classroom to Career Summit in the East Room of the White House in Washington, Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024.
President Joe Biden speaks at the Classroom to Career Summit in the East Room of the White House in Washington on Nov. 13, 2024.
Ben Curtis/AP
College & Workforce Readiness Can the AP Model Work for CTE? How the College Board Is Embracing Career Prep
The organization known for AP courses and the SAT is getting more involved in helping students explore potential careers.
5 min read
David Coleman, CEO of the College Board, speaks at the organization's annual conference in Austin, Texas, on Oct. 21, 2024.
David Coleman, CEO of the College Board, speaks at the organization's annual conference in Austin, Texas, on Oct. 21, 2024. Long an institution invested in preparing students for college, the College Board increasingly has an eye on illuminating career options.
Ileana Najarro/Education Week
College & Workforce Readiness The Way 69ý Offer CTE Classes Is About to Change. Here's How
The revision could lead to significant shifts in the types of jobs schools highlight, and the courses students are able to take.
4 min read
Photo of student working with surveying equipment.
E+