A State Representative who thinks the high school diploma has lost its credibility in recent years is backing a bill to raise the bar on earning a diploma.
The bill, sponsored by State Representative Bryan Spencer (R-Wentzville), would establish the Student Accountability Act that would require public high school students statewide to score proficient or higher on exit assessment exams after the eighth grade in core areas such as mathematics, communication arts, and sciences.
Spencer says there is a problem with students who are unprepared to leave high school with a diploma and go on to attend college. He says some students even have a 3.0 GPA or above. “They’ll go to college, take a placement exam and they’re stuck in remedial classes,” he said.
The bill says students who don’t meet the required level of proficiency on the exams to earn a regular diploma will earn a local achievement one instead. “As a person’s proof that they have been educated and prepared for the next step of their life and since a high school diploma has lost its credibility, we’re trying to put a little more ownership in a student’s education,” he said.
The Student Accountability Act will begin during the 2017 through 2018 academic school year.
AUDIO:Â Mary Farucci reports. (1:02)
