Let's standardize High School

Pre-College Issues High School Life
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<p>We should just standardize school. </p>

<p>Every (public) school in the country would have the same GPA scale, the same course offerings, the same tests given at the same intervals, and teachers who all go through the same training.</p>

<p>GPA would be heavily weighted, with each course given an "out of 5" to "out of 10" difficulty status level. Every school will have the same required courses, some of which won't be out of 10, therefore nobody will have a perfect GPA. Under this system, ranking wouldn't be limited to only "class". Instead, rank could be measured on a national scale. Imagine a report card saying something like "ranked 4720/3,499,839." </p>

<p>Extracurriculars, too, would be taken into consideration. Every high school would have the same EC opportunities with the same available leadership positions and methods of election.</p>

<p>Someone might criticize this plan by claiming it to be too institutionalized or Stepford-esque. However, the academic portion of high school should lack "individual personality" from school to school. Equal opportunity shouldn't be limited to the housing market. Schools get their personality from athletics and spirit, not academics themselves.</p>

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<p>now let's imagine the cost of overhauling the US educational system =P</p>

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<p>If all HS were like mine.....oh gosh....haha</p>

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now let's imagine the cost of overhauling the US educational system =P

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<p>Legalizing marijuana, getting out of Iraq, and eradicating depression would do the trick financially. However, the depression one might be impossible .. but I'm sure there are more likely alternatives ..</p>

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<p>I agree that the GPA scale should be standardized -- it's sooo confusing how every county seems to have a different system -- but teachers' styles are way too different for us to expect them all to adhere to the same curriculum and give the same tests.</p>

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<p>Poseur (nice sn btw) -- like GPA scales would be worthless without also having like classes. if calculus is super easy at one school and harder at another, we have not accomplished equal opportunity.</p>

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<p>i like the OP's idea...too bad it will never happen :(</p>

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<p>mj, unfortunately we do not live in the platonic world, rather, we live in the physical world. Your approach assumes an ideal world, ideal people, an infinite amount of money, infinite amount of space. Unfortunately, this is not the case.</p>

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<p>^ Ideal people? Infinite amount of space?</p>

<p>Explain further.</p>

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<p>I like the idea of high schools being different. If all schools were like mine, I think that'd be fine. I don't go to a "typical" high school and we have more course offerings than a few local colleges. </p>

<p>I do like the idea of standardizing GPA though.</p>

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<p>Wow, I would HATE it if all high schools were the same. Isn't that the whole point? High school seems to me like a time when you're training for the real world and making the most use of the opportunities you're given. If your school doesn't teach a class, teach it to yourself. I just think that would make everything so...boring. Imagine going to college and having no stories to tell about the weird way your school does its math progressions or how you have the most unique senior english seminar ever. Seriously. Would anyone enjoy that? I know I sure wouldn't. Not to bash the OP's idea at ALL, and I would certainly be impressed if the country could get itself together enough to actually do that, but I would definitely hate it.</p>

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<p>Then every public school would be forced to cater to the lowest common denominator and only offer lower-level courses, leaving smarter students shafted. (Can you imagine how much money it'd take to offer Differential Equations everywhere, especially since maybe only two people at an average school would want to take it in any given period of ten years?)</p>

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<p>Wow, this idea sounds dystopian as can be.</p>

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<p>do you think some small town, or some small ghetto has enough space to build one of those monster schools that you are thinking of? Also, just because there is more oppurtunity, it does not mean that people will take advantage of it. For the people who do not take advantage, of it, these schools are a large waste of money. If you haven't noticed, the government can not just drop everything, legalize marijuana, pull out of Iraq, and eradicate depression. The roots of these problems are quite deep, they're not extremely easy to fix. Also, what of those students who are "outliers" ? What if a student finishes all the math the school has to offer, and needs to take college courses? If you suggest the school offering college courses, then where does the distinction between college and high school come in? Also, if the school does not offer college courses, and the student takes college courses, the GPA's are no longer standardized. Please be more aware of the state of our country, and of our world. Like I said before, we do not live in the platonic world.</p>

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<p>^^ Ooohhh really well said.</p>

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<p>We have a pretty good system up here in quebec, canada. Most of the important courses (English, Math, Sciences, French, History, Geography) have uniform final exams that everyone in the whole province writes and are worth 100% of your final grade. Also, the exams are graded on a 0-100% scale, the averages in the mid to high 60's and there are no letter grades (A, B, C...). Its nice as you can really differentiate between someone who gets a 94 and someone who gets 99. When you apply to colleges here, its very simple. Any science program requires certain classes (the hardest) and they just take the top marks until they fill all the places. It also takes a lot of stress out of your life, as you know that you can get a 100 on one exam to make up for an 85 on another, unlike the GPA system, where once you hit one "B" you lose your 4.0 . I had plenty of "C" marks in the 70's but i have many high 90's which make up for it to average out to a ~93 = "A" You also get a percentile rank in the province. That would be a model to follow. (Other than that, quebec sucks though)</p>

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I like the idea of high schools being different. If all schools were like mine, I think that'd be fine. I don't go to a "typical" high school and we have more course offerings than a few local colleges.

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<p>Why do you like the idea of all high schools offering different levels of classes? Doesn't this defeat the purpose of equal opportunity? It's quite cynical to say "like" the fact that some schools aren't academically up to the standards of your own.</p>

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Wow, I would HATE it if all high schools were the same. Isn't that the whole point?

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<p>I really don't understand the logic of "liking" the fact that high schools have different standards in regards to levels of academic rigor. Is it just a feel-good thing?? Instead of equal opportunity, we should have "diverse" levels of opportunity? Lol. Someone please explain this to me.</p>

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High school seems to me like a time when you're training for the real world and making the most use of the opportunities you're given.

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<p>Yes. I agree that high school serves as preparation for the diverse, adult world. However, the system I originally proposed would not take away from any sort of racial or cultural diversity. It would only change the ACADEMIC structure of high schools -- no other structure would be altered. We agree on this point and my original post does not contradict it.</p>

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If your school doesn't teach a class, teach it to yourself.

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<p>This technique is not plausible for many students who are auditory learners or simply not aware of the opportunity to "self-study" APs or the like. I hadn't heard of it until I joined CC.</p>

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I just think that would make everything so...boring.

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<p>Again. It's not like we're eradicating diversity here, people. ONLY editing the ACADEMIC structures of HS's to make them more fair for people of ALL backgrounds and socioeconomic statuses. I don't see how equal opportunity courses would make high school boring -- maybe you can explain, lily. :)</p>

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Imagine going to college and having no stories to tell about the weird way your school does its math progressions or how you have the most unique senior english seminar ever.

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<p>OMG. This would be teh worst thing in the world. Like, what if you couldn't immerse yourself in the way that all your new college friends breathe air differently. Or lived in different countries. Or laughed differently. Like, one lack of difference between you and your college friends will definitely ruin your life. [/sarcasm]</p>

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Then every public school would be forced to cater to the lowest common denominator and only offer lower-level courses, leaving smarter students shafted. (Can you imagine how much money it'd take to offer Differential Equations everywhere, especially since maybe only two people at an average school would want to take it in any given period of ten years?)

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<p>Thanks for the input, fizix. Yes, clearly there is a limit of course offerings both directions (gifted and retarted) -- so maybe DifEq, and it's opposite (6th grade math) won't be offered in the HS system i proposed above. However, specialized private, boarding, or charter schools will still exist -- this system will have alternatives.</p>

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Wow, this idea sounds dystopian as can be.

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<p>How so? ^-^</p>

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<p>"Why do you like the idea of all high schools offering different levels of classes? Doesn't this defeat the purpose of equal opportunity? It's quite cynical to say "like" the fact that some schools aren't academically up to the standards of your own."</p>

<p>I like it because I don't think it's fair that you should punish more intelligent students with too simple of classes, nor is it fair that you should punish less intelligent by making them take courses that are too difficult. </p>

<p>The more intelligent students will be bored and become lazy, thus not reaching their full potential. The less intelligent will become frustrated and perhaps even drop out.</p>

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<p>
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do you think some small town, or some small ghetto has enough space to build one of those monster schools that you are thinking of?

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<p>Local funding wouldn't cut it. But this is nationally scaled. The collective pool of the USA's tax payer dollars may or may not be able to financially cover an eradication of the current system. Why would you assume we'd need to tear down the buildings themselves, tho, lol? There is nothing wrong with them.</p>

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Also, just because there is more oppurtunity, it does not mean that people will take advantage of it.

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<p>That is the choice of the individual. The point of this program is to OFFER EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES. You can't force a student to latch onto the opportunities offered -- but which is worse: a motivated student with the desire to attend college but without the resources, or an unmotivated student not willing to take advantage of resources offered to him/her? Both types will continue to exist.</p>

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For the people who do not take advantage, of it, these schools are a large waste of money.

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<p>As i said above, both types will exist within each school.</p>

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If you haven't noticed, the government can not just drop everything, legalize marijuana, pull out of Iraq, and eradicate depression. The roots of these problems are quite deep, they're not extremely easy to fix.

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<p>I never implied a "dropping of everything". Legalizing marijuana would be relatively simple and harmless. Pulling out of Iraq would be, too. Eradicating depression would be near impossible, but very fiscally efficient, lol.</p>

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Also, what of those students who are "outliers" ?

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<p>Parachial, home, private, charter, boarding schools.</p>

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What if a student finishes all the math the school has to offer, and needs to take college courses?

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<p>After a reasonable level (probably Calc BC or the equivalent), students will dual-enroll at nearby colleges.</p>

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If you suggest the school offering college courses, then where does the distinction between college and high school come in?

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<p>Labels aren't pertinent, but we would retain the current ones. Calculus is typically considered college math, even tho it is offered in HSs.</p>

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Also, if the school does not offer college courses, and the student takes college courses, the GPA's are no longer standardized.

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<p>One exception to an otherwise perfect system. College courses would just be rated as "out of 10", with hopes that that is as accurate as possible. Regardless, it is obviously much more accurate than the current system.</p>

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<p>
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I like it because I don't think it's fair that you should punish more intelligent students with too simple of classes, nor is it fair that you should punish less intelligent by making them take courses that are too difficult. </p>

<p>The more intelligent students will be bored and become lazy, thus not reaching their full potential. The less intelligent will become frustrated and perhaps even drop out.

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<p>A variety of course levels will still be offered. We won't force everyone to take the same courses. Ideally, Remedial Algebra through Calculus 2 would be offered at every HS, with various weighting for each course, as mentioned above.</p>