Since the 1970s some aspects of students and their lives are relatively unchanged according to a study by the Foundation for Child Development. Reading abilities, graduation rates, and suicide rates have basically remained the same for teenagers since the 1970s. Also, math rates have risen despite the bad press math and science teachers ...

Recently, numerous articles (here and here and here) have explained or editorialized about the Washington State Board of Education’s likely approval of a proposal to require students to complete 24 credits to graduate instead of the current 19. Since the state only funds 20 of those credits now, more money will need to be provided. [...]

One of the most intelligent students in my school essentially decided not to graduate with his class. I have worked with him one on one for three years, watched him emerge as a phenomenal poet and thinker, and also observed him sabotage his own successes time and again. Poet left himself a credit short [...]

Last night was my school’s commencement ceremony, and it was truly one of the best I’ve attended. The speakers were excellent, the exchange students honored, the 7 valedictorians presented, and the graduates excited but under control. The kids tossed beach balls around every once in a while, and they cheered for their friends and waved ...

Washington State’s mandatory test, which needs to be passed to receive a diploma, is called the WASL. Recent articles have noted the recent announcement that 91% of the students passed—if you do not count the students who dropped out. By my figuring, this means about 68% of the original class of 2008 passed the state test. [...]

I felt quite honored today to have a few students request that I hand them their diplomas during graduation next week. They are so cute when they ask. Their faces blush a bit; they smile while looking away, and then they ask if I’m going to the ceremony. And finally, they meekly ask if I [...]

We have two more weeks of school, and I only have two senior students in danger of failing one of my classes. If I can persuade this dynamic duo to attend class, I can get the work out of them, but the key is their attendance. I’m confident they’ll be here. Originally, I had 11 [...]

A while back I had a student, Davy, reach the final week of his final semester in high school, and he had a 40% in my senior Mythology course while maintaining an attendance rate of 60% (and I think a blood-alcohol level of 2.0 most of the semester). I wouldn’t budge on giving “extra credit” [...]

I read an article today about high school seniors who are trying to pass the WASL in order to graduate. While I believe a minimum standard is acceptable for students to reach, I also feel that the credits earned should be the standard. However, that is not really my comment for today. I find it odd [...]

Is it possible to create a culture of failure? My school is currently being asked to discover why the Freshman failure rate is so high. 1/3 of the Freshmen failed a class during their first semester in high school, and statistically speaking 30% of Freshmen who fail a course in their first high school year do [...]