Thursday, October 13, 2005

Making Michigan Smarter

Michigan needs more rigorous classes to help students succeed

Even college preparatory courses are no longer tough enough

By Jim Sandy

Jim Sandy is executive director of Michigan Business Leaders for Education Excellence, an affiliate of the Michigan Chamber Foundation. Error processing SSI file Comment on this story Send this story to a friend Get Home Delivery

An April EPIC-MRA poll, sponsored by the Your Child group, concludes that only 27 percent of Michigan parents believe a good education is "essential" for getting ahead in life. But this notion is not shared by employers across the state.

Business leaders recognize that a good education and a solid work ethic are critical to the success of individuals, employers and our economy. Business leaders need to communicate clearly that students need to be better prepared for the future, including when they are seniors in high school.

One thing is certain: The skills necessary to earn a good living and provide for a family have changed. Gone forever are the days of dropping out of high school and walking on the factory floor to earn a good middle-class income.

Job requirements increase

Educational researchers tell us that the gap between what technology skills are necessary for success in business/industry and higher education is almost nonexistent. Job requirements have risen much faster than schools have improved. Economists Richard Murnane of Harvard University and Frank Levy of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have completed one of the most comprehensive and widely respected reviews of this disparity. They believe high-wage jobs require, at a minimum, these "new basic skills":

• The ability to read at the ninth-grade level.

• Mastery of fractions, decimals and line graphs.

• The ability to solve semistructured problems in which hypotheses must be formed and tested.

• The ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing.

• The ability to work in groups with people of various backgrounds.

• The ability to use personal computers to carry out simple tasks like word processing.

These findings -- and the impact on education -- need to become ingrained in our thinking. The two- or three-track system that many schools use is archaic and isn't providing our kids with the preparation they need to be successful. Even the "college prep" track is not what it needs to be.

So what approach should parents, students and teachers take in getting ready for the future?

Toughen core courses

The Michigan Business Leaders for Education Excellence believes every student should participate in a core course of study that prepares them well for almost any situation. The following is the minimum course of study that is necessary:

• 9th grade: English I, Algebra I, Biology I and World Geography.

• 10th grade: English II, Geometry, Chemistry I and World History.

• 11th grade: English III, Algebra II, Physics and U.S. History.

• 12th grade: English IV and U.S. Government/Economics.

• Two years of the same foreign language.

The content of each of these subjects needs to be well-defined, rigorous and relevant to this ever-expanding global economy. We cannot afford to water down these subjects if our children are going to have a fighting chance at the jobs of the future.

The recommended course of study, if properly implemented, allows plenty of time for students to explore and participate in the arts, music, physical education, career and technical programs and other important enrichment activities that will expand their horizons.

Start the focus early

The evidence is clear: The strongest predictor of college completion is a rigorous and challenging high school course of study. But the work begins well before the high school years and the education system and culture of our society needs to catch up. If we are to provide our children with an advantage, the effort needs to reach into the preschool years. In this regard, Michigan is on the right track.

The adoption of grade-level expectations in math and English language arts provides parents, educators and students with a clear set of expectations. Properly implemented, these expectations eliminate the guess work and confusion about what children need to learn and be able to do.

In addition, many forward-looking school districts have initiated efforts to reach parents of preschoolers to communicate how parents can help their children build a solid foundation for learning in the formative years.

Without a deliberate focus and intervention in math and science, the talent pipeline for research and innovation in the United States, especially in engineering and physical sciences, is in jeopardy.

As business leaders, we support efforts aimed at improving math and science education and believe these efforts must rise to the top of the list of state and federal education priorities. We cannot expect our students to participate in the future if we don't adequately prepare them in our classrooms today.

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