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Wednesday, July 30, 1997

Report: Texas headed in right direction, but could improve

By PEGGY FIKAC Associated Press Writer

AUSTIN (AP) - Texas is one of 17 states with clear, specific standards in the key subject areas of math, English, science and social studies, a national teachers group said Tuesday.

But the national report by the American Federation of Teachers wasn't all favorable toward Texas' curriculum, recently overhauled amid much debate over whether new standards are rigorous enough.

The new English standards aren't as strong as those for other core subjects in the state, the teachers' report said. In addition, Texas' standards aren't considered better than those in place a year ago, as 14 other states' are.

"New standards in the core academic subjects are generally strong in Texas, but there are some weak spots the state should address," said Matt Gandal, the report's author.

The math, science and social studies standards are clearly written and well-grounded in content. The English standards "have some real strengths, but they are not as strong as these other subjects," the report said.

Among its criticisms: some standards are repeated from grade to grade without showing how students' skills should progress from year to year. The latest version of the standards cut down on some of the repetition.

Texas Education Agency spokeswoman Debbie Graves Ratcliffe responded, "There's no doubt our science, math and social studies are definitely stronger than the existing curriculum.

"English was certainly one of the most controversial areas. There were heated, legitimate discussions about what's the right approach ... We think they're strong and they'll be an improvement for Texas schools," she said.

John Cole, president of the Texas Federation of Teachers, said Texas already was considered in previous reports to have strong standards before the curriculum rewrite.

"It's getting hard for us to improve on those areas," he said.

Cole added, "We slipped a little bit in the English standards. ... We are still, nonetheless, one of the nation's leaders in setting standards, a legacy of our reform efforts in the mid-80s," when a ground-breaking education overhaul known as House Bill 72 was passed.

The State Board of Education approved the new standards earlier this month with opposition from members backed by religious conservatives, who said they weren't rigorous or specific enough. They backed an alternative document for English developed by teachers.

Supporters of the new standards said they are stronger than previous requirements and touted the endorsement of a number of education experts.

Gandal also called "unacceptable" the level of achievement needed to pass the exit-level Texas Assessment of Academic Skills, required for students to receive a diploma.

"You can graduate from high school in Texas by passing tests based on ninth-grade standards. That's unacceptable," he said.

Mrs. Ratcliffe said, "It is true that the 10th-grade exit-level TAAS test is a beginning high school level exam, but that's not the only graduation requirement." She noted students still must pass their junior and senior courses to graduate. Send a Letter to the Editor about This Story | Start or Join A Discussion about This Story
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