Supports state graduation standards

 (Bill Robinson is president of Kreamer Feeds in Snyder County. He is active on the Central Pa. Workforce Investment Board and the Youth Council.)

Many school children in Pennsylvania live and go to school in rural communities. We know that the rural economy is changing and demands workers who have high skill levels.

No longer can our students graduate from high school without solid academic skills in reading, writing and math and expect to be able to earn a living wage in agriculture, manufacturing or other industries that used to provide good paying jobs in our rural communities.

The fact is that if we want our agri-businesses and other rural enterprises to be successful in the future, then we need our high school students to be up to the challenge.

I face this issue every day in my business. We need to know that a diploma granted by any school district across the state means that students have the essential skills to succeed.

Right now, unfortunately, this is not always the case. Last year, 57,000 students received their high school diplomas without demonstrating their mastery of high level academic skills.

For these reasons, the State Board of Education recently proposed meaningful high school graduation requirements for all students, no matter what school district they grew up in.

These requirements recognize that every student in Pennsylvania has the right to a quality education. Employers and colleges deserve to have confidence that a Pennsylvania high school diploma means quality academic preparation for success.

Now, I know that the last thing students and teachers want is more tests, or to have pressure on students to pass any one test in order to graduate. Well, I don't want that either. But it makes good sense for there to be a menu of options for students to show they have mastered essential academic skills; and this is just what the State Board has proposed.

One option would be to pass a series of new Graduation Competency Assessments, which are exams that students would take throughout their high school careers when they have just finished a course and the material is most fresh in their minds.

School districts could use these instead of the final exams they give right now, so no additional testing would be required.

School districts could also use a locally created assessment, as long as it's as rigorous as the state's.

Teachers and administrators would have students' entire high school careers to help them master those core academic areas. In addition, the state would provide schools and students with more resources and tools to help our young people to be ready for success in college or careers.

If you agree with me that these proposed regulations make good sense, please call or write your state legislators and the State Board of Education and tell them so.