I have worked in two school districts as an educational assistant/paraprofessional for a total of 20 years. I have worked with excellent teachers and with teachers who should have pursued another career. Unfortunately, it is hard to remove a teacher and our children and grandchildren bear the results of poor teaching. Now we have the WASL. In order to graduate starting in 2008, they must pass a reading, writing and math test. Let me tell you, there are many math teachers who fail in providing the learning our children need in order to pass the math section of the WASL.
My granddaughter is a very good student and loves school. She hopes to graduate in 2008. She aced the reading and writing test but did not pass with a high enough percentage in the math test. She retook the math test this summer and failed again. I believe she got 389 (again) and 400 is required to pass in order to graduate. She felt she did not learn anything new and her summer was wasted. She will have more than enough credits to graduate, but passing a math test with the skills she needs given by a teacher who does not have the skills, is hopeless.
My granddaughter is a junior in high school. She told me that several boys in her class have or will drop out of school because they know they will not pass the WASL and will be unable to graduate. This angers me. What are they doing to our children? They need to look at the teachers. They need to go into the high schools and talk with the class of 2008. But unfortunately, it is going to be too late for those students who have given up before the state gets it right.
JUDY KING-BOYD
Marysville
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