Editorial: Math test bedevils seniors

Thursday, June 15, 2000 | 9:36 a.m.

Commencement usually is an exciting time for high school seniors, but for a significant percentage of these students that wasn't the case this year. Once again the math proficiency test has been a source of frustration for those high school seniors who didn't get their regular diplomas this year. Nearly 1,700 seniors in Nevada, which is about 11 percent, failed the high school proficiency mathematics test. In contrast, about 500 didn't pass the reading test and 250 failed the writing exam. Meanwhile, the state Department of Education is still collecting information to determine how many seniors didn't receive the regular diploma because they didn't earn enough credits; last year that numbered 2,000.

This obviously is disappointing for those seniors who didn't receive a regular diploma at graduation, but it is critical that state officials maintain their support for proficiency standards. Indeed, this year's passing grade was 64 compared to 61 last year, and the content of next year's tests likely will be more difficult. Future employers understandably expect graduating students to have basic skills -- as do colleges and universities, who otherwise must spend an inordinate amount of time on remedial instruction.

While the tests naturally place more pressure on teachers and principals to get their students up to par, the fact is that the schools can't do this alone. For instance, the Legislature needs to reassess whether it is providing enough funding for schools to offer a quality education. In addition, parents must embrace responsibility for their children's education. Too often parents don't make it clear to their children that they expect them to do their best, instead shoving this parental responsibility off to the schools. In the end, a diploma should be more than just a piece of paper -- it should be a recognition that the students receiving them have demonstrated their mastery of the basics of a high school education.