Re: “Standards must be realistic, fair” (Viewpoint, 2-16).
In his call for a “two-tier math system,” Randy Dorn misses an essential requirement for contemporary public education. The superintendent of public instruction says that requiring students to meet college entrance requirements in math is unfair to students who are headed for community colleges, technical institutes, military service or the workforce.
In the 21st century, however, the boundaries between college and workplace readiness are narrowing. In a 2006 study (“Ready for College and Ready for Work: Same or Different?”), the ACT concluded that all students should take a “rigorous core preparatory program in high school,” particularly in reading and mathematics.
Different expectations for college-bound and workplace-bound students have all but disappeared. In addition, our community colleges require underprepared students to enroll in and pay for “remedial” courses before they can take college-level math and composition courses.
Washington state students would not be served well by a two-tier system of graduation requirements in math. Instead, we should be developing programs of instruction designed to ensure that all students can meet the expectations for both workforce training programs and colleges. (Droge is a University of Puget Sound emeritus professor.)
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