SOS-NC Memo

(This was presented to members of the NC House prior to final votes on HB593 on May 13 )

FACTS AND INSIGHTS ON DUAL ENROLLMENT AND HIGH SCHOOL EXAMS

Neither of these issues is "cut and dried", but they have been used for years as primary arguments against the 2004 "School Calendar Law". Below, I openly share with you my findings…

Community College/Dual Enrollment

• The total number of students enrolled in NC schools (including charter schools) for the 2008-2009 school year is 1,463,689. The total number of students participating in the dual enrollment/Huskins program is 18,560. That means that opponents of the SOS-NC initiative want to change a law that affects almost everyone, for the sake of only 1.3% of NC's student population. Also, as we've pointed out again and again, students who participate in these programs are responsible and dedicated, and know up-front what is expected of them. They start whenever the Community College starts and all parties involved "make it work." That's according to Community College personnel. One parent who extensively researched the matter put it this way: "If there's a conflict between the public school calendar and the community college calendar, I fail to see it. They are separate entities, and the student who embraces dual enrollment has agreed to be responsible enough to deal with all issues (cost, transportation, scheduling and workload) in order to reap benefits of the program."

Exams After Christmas

This one continues to frustrate me because, truth be known, this issue should not even be considered as a valid argument against the school calendar law.

• There is no evidence whatsoever to tie exam scores — or dropout rates, etc. — to school calendar changes. There are just too many variables at play — teacher quality, $ spent per pupil, class size, demographics — the list goes on and on. It is a fact that the states who consistently, year-after year, rank highest in national education comparisons begin school in late August or early September, and have exams after Christmas. While SOS-NC can claim that the start date might very well affect the superior academic achievement of these schools, we stop short of claiming that they rank high because of the late start dates. That's an invalid argument for the same reasons I just mentioned.
  
  
• Additionally, most schools across our nation, as well as in NC, do not have block scheduling. They are taking mid-terms in January, like most of us did I guess, and that is only a "big deal" to those who prefer to finish up before Christmas break. Schools with block scheduling take final exams in January, which can crowd second semester AP exams, but those dates are set nationally. Block scheduling is the culprit here, not the school calendar law, and I'm sure there are many educators who would agree. Admittedly, it affects students who graduate early, but I'm not even sure I totally understand the tremendous hardship there. I'm not trying to sound callous, and I'll be the first to admit that this law does not suit everyone. However, it should not be changed to benefit a select few. Some of you know that my 10th-grade daughter (totally of her own volition, I promise!) spoke last week before the House Education Committee. Her words say more than I ever could. This is what she wrote — and said (emphasized words are hers):
  
  "My name is Georgia Lee and I want to thank all of you for letting me speak today. To begin with, I am a sophomore at Leesville Road Traditional High School, here in Raleigh. Recently, I have heard many adults discuss the issue of exams after Christmas in high schools. This being said, I feel that I need to give you all a perspective from a student on this topic. First of all, most of my teachers are professional enough to teach the information well, so that we do not forget everything over break. As a result, the majority of students recall the needed information after Christmas to do well on the exam. Plus, students on block scheduling, as I am, actually have about two weeks after Christmas break to review for exams. So, it is not the school calendar law's fault in the first place. As an additional note, I would just like to add that year round students frequently have breaks of three weeks, as opposed to our one Christmas break of only two weeks. I do not understand why no one is concerned that students on a year round schedule will forget everything that they learn over their breaks. In conclusion, just take the time to consider all of the positive benefits of the current school calendar law, and please vote against HB593. Thank you."
  
  There are plenty of students, parents and teachers who prefer exams after Christmas. Some say it gives them a chance to actually enjoy the special holiday happenings and reflect upon the meaning of the season. Many point out that since students have time after Christmas to review anyway, studying and stressing out during Christmas isn't even an issue. How many high-schoolers do you know who are going to study several weeks ahead of time for exams? Once again, in my opinion, this argument holds no water.
  
  
• One more thing - this isn't often pointed out, but I think it should be. In 2008-2009, out of the 1,463,689 students enrolled in NC schools, 429,454 are in grades 9 - 12. That means that just over 29% of all students are in what we consider to be high school grades. The school calendar law is for all families and all students in traditional schools. The vast majority of the complaints that the opposition groups are tossing about have to do solely with high school issues. While those issues definitely need to be addressed and studied, in my opinion a law should not be considered "devastating" and "a failure" based on that alone. What a slap in the face to the other 71% of the student population!

Louise Lee