Math GRAD standards relaxed

For the next five years, students will be able to graduate from high school even if they don't pass the math GRAD test if these requirements are met:

• Complete all coursework and credits required for graduation
• Receive district-prescribed math remediation
• Take at least two retakes of the math GRAD test, or pass it, whichever comes first
• Pass the reading and writing GRAD tests

The exemptions were necessary due to the large number of students unable to pass the test. To put it in perspective, had these changes not been made to the standard, many tens of thousands of next year's seniors would not have been able to graduate. That would have been a catastrophe for the state and for kids.

Make no mistake, there are issues with the standard we hope can be worked out in the next five years. A move in the right direction would be to look at "end of course" exams instead of the cumulative test that exists now. In the meantime, we are just relieved the legislature put a stop gap in to prevent the worst case scenario from coming to fruition.

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