High School Proficiency Assessment tests for the first time will include a science section.
By: Donna Lukiw
A new science section in the standardized test given to all high school juniors means Hillsborough High School freshmen will have to take a new geophysical science class and students seeking advanced placement (AP) science classes will have to double up on science.
While high school juniors have been taking the High School Proficiency Assessment (HSPA) in reading, writing and math, this year they will be tested in science as well.
Students are required to pass the HSPA to graduate but the science portion given in March will not be counted toward graduation. Instead it will be used as a model for future curriculum upgrades and set a baseline for future HSPA science exams.
Eventually, the geophysical and environmental science portion of the test will be 30 percent of the science exam.
So, beginning next year, Hillsborough High School students will be required to take geophysical science in their freshman year. Honors students can add a biology class to maintain the advanced science schedule.
"The honor students are missing out on geophysical and environmental standards," board member Wolf Schneider said during Monday’s Board of Education discussion of the science curriculum changes.
"I’m reluctantly supporting the change to the curriculum," board member Steve Paget said. "Our honors curriculum was great."
The state requires that all New Jersey schools prepare students in environmental science, biology, chemistry and physics but some students are saying they will be robbed of an opportunity to take AP courses their senior year if they follow the mandated science course sequence.
"Why not offer geophysical science as an elective?" high school student Dave Eilbacher asked the board members during the meeting.
Mr. Schneider said that would be a scheduling problem. The board has discussed several other options to accommodate all the students, including passing a test to be exempt from taking the geophysical science course, he added.
"The state does not allow us to test out," Mr. Schneider said. He added the geoscience classes include laboratory experiments, "and you can’t test out of a lab."
Mr. Schneider said for those students wishing to take an AP course their senior year would be allowed to take two science courses (geophysical science and biology) their freshman year.
Hillsborough High School senior Pete Skeele said he doubled up on math courses his freshman year and although he made it through, it was a challenge.
"As a student, entering the high school as freshman it’s really difficult to know how to double up," Pete said. "And the workload is sizeable."
Mr. Paget said students would also be able to double up on chemistry and physics in order to take the AP science course in their senior year but that option also has drawbacks.
"You will have to drop an elective," Mr. Paget said. "Unless you double up your freshman or junior year you’re not taking AP courses your senior year."
Board member Marc Rosenberg said it would be unfortunate for students to double up on science but have to give up a language or elective course.
Board members threw out other options, including block scheduling for the school and adding an eighth period in the school day.
Students will be seeing geophysical science in the 2007-2008 science curriculum.