Many initiatives already implemented
By Lea Kahn, Staff Writer
State educators want to ramp up minimum public high school graduation requirements, but Lawrence Township school district officials have beat them to the punch — and in some instances have even exceeded state proposals.
Many of the New Jersey High School Redesign Steering Committee’s recommendations, released April 25, mirror those contained in the Lawrence High School Task Force and Design Team’s report. The high school task force issued its report to the Lawrence Township Board of Education on April 9.
Major changes in the state’s recommendations — which be phased in, starting with the graduating class of 2012 — call for all students to take algebra I, geometry and algebra II, plus biology, chemistry and a third science course such physics, engineering or environmental science. They also would have to take a half-year course in economics in order to graduate.
The remainder of the high school graduation requirements, such as credits in language arts literacy, visual and performing arts, world languages, social studies, and health and physical education, would be unchanged.
The New Jersey High School Redesign Steering Committee is a coalition of the state’s major education organizations working to build awareness and support for a more rigorous high school experience, according to its Web site, www.njhighschoolsummit.org.
Assistant Superintendent of Schools Crystal Lovell and LHS Principal David Roman agreed the Lawrence school district is ahead of the game. The school district created its high school task force in October 2006, around the same time the state’s high school redesign team was formed.
Dr. Lovell acknowledged the LHS task force “blended in” some of what school district officials had heard about the state’s high school redesign efforts.
But Mr. Roman was quick to point out the LHS task force report is not derived from the state’s plan. He noted the LHS task force plan was approved by the school board before the state report was released.
”We have already created a plan,” Mr. Roman said. “Other school districts are looking at the (New Jersey High School Redesign Steering Committee) report and wondering, ‘How are we going to do it.’ The greatest thing is, we are ahead of the curve. We are proud of that.”
The Lawrence school district already requires three years each of math and science for currently enrolled high school students. The district does not require economics, but that course should be in place at LHS for the 2009-10 school year, Dr. Lovell said.
Many LHS students already take algebra I, geometry and algebra II, but others take business math. Some students take academic support math because of their standardized test scores. Beginning with next year’s freshmen, all LHS students will take algebra, geometry and algebra II, ahead of the state’s suggestion.
LHS freshmen now must take biology, but sophomores, juniors and seniors can choose from courses such as chemistry, physics, environmental science and marine biology. That would change next year, as all students would have to take biology, chemistry and physics, based on the LHS task force’s recommendations. The state report does not require physics.
The state high school redesign steering committee and the LHS task force report emphasize a personalized approach to education. The state report, for example, suggests pairing a student with an adult mentor.
The LHS task force report calls for implementing a ninth-grade academy for next year’s freshmen. The academy would be divided into three houses. The goal is to provide a “more cohesive and friendly learning environment” for students, Mr. Roman said. A guidance counselor would be assigned to each house.
Academies are planned for the upper grades, pending an evaluation of the ninth-grade academy, Dr. Lovell said. The 10th-grade academy would focus on career exploration. The junior and senior year academies would also be career academies, but with a focus on broad themes such as math/science/technology, the arts and humanities.
Reflecting on the New Jersey High School Redesign Steering Committee’s report, Mr. Roman said that while the state is raising expectations for students, “it is still high school and we want to keep it fun, but we are raising the bar.”
”I think this (state report) was a shock to a lot of people,” added Dr. Lovell. “They had not heard about the details in other districts. The state’s report is more of an affirmation for us. It made us feel great.”