TX to require ALL students get STW on-the-job vocational credentials WA educators, TX is making a BIG mistake in forcing ALL students to take school-to-work vocational training. Let's hope Bergeson and friends aren't THAT nuts. ------- Forwarded Message Follows ------- Date: Thu, 8 Jan 1998 18:08:17 -0600 To: Education Consumers Clearinghouse From: Jeanne Donovan Subject: TECA/ECC: ACTION ALERT! LAST NAIL IN STW COFFIN PENDING! SCHOOL-TO-WORK IN TEXAS LAST NAIL IN THE COFFIN TEXANS PROPOSE TO CHANGE CURRICULUM REQUIREMENTS TO "ALL-MEANS-ALL" This message should be of interest to all Americans, especially as Governor Bush is a likely candidate for President. Our Governor is leading the charge for school-to-work in Texas. Thus, it is in everyone's interest to be certain Bush knows your thoughts about school-to-work, as well as how his response will affect your vote for his candidacy. On January 15th and 16th, the Texas Education Agency is proposing an unprecedented statutory requirement for graduation from high school, requiring students to earn a votech "license" in order to graduate. No other state in the nation requires a license. ================================================================== THE PROBLEM Texas parents and legislators beware. The Texas Education Agency is planning to amend high school graduation requirments without your full knowledge and without legislative oversight. COMMENTARY The proposed amendments are flawed, and they codify federal government dictates at the state level. Some changes downsize the amount of traditional content in the courses in order to make room for vocational requirements. The consequences of these changes is that students will have fewer academic choices, and they will be required to take vocational training whether they want to or not. Other than posting a general notice on their web site (http://www.tea.state.tx.us/sboe/schedule/9801/index.html#instruct) about the upcoming vote, no effort has been made by the Texas Education Agency to seek a public mandate. On January 15th and 16th, the Committee on Instruction of the Texas State Board of Education will have its first reading on amendments to 19 TAC Chapter 74, Curriculum Requirements. Some of the amendments include: * Change "United States History" to "United States History Studies Since Reconstruction" -- This means that after eighth grade, students will not study history prior to Reconstruction; therefore, intellectually mature students will not have an opportunity to re-examine our constitutional history in depth. * Change "United States Government" to "Government" -- Why is this necessary? What role do they see for government? * Delete English IV (Academic) (i.e., twelfth-grade English) -- Why remove an academic course, and what will replace it? * Delete all elective science courses previously approved as part of the foundation curriculum and substitute "any state board of education approved science course in 19 TAC Chapters 112, 121, or 123" -- Why, and what will be the Board's criteria for selection? What guarantee is there that the choices will be "real science," and that they do not overlap in content? * As currently written, students working on the Distinguished Achievment Program diploma have to meet these criteria: (1) create an original research project, (2) achieve high test scores for the College Board Advanded Placement exam, the International Baccalaureate exam, or the PSAT, and (3) earn a grade of 3.0 or higher on courses that count for college credit. The proposed amendment, if approved, will also require every DAP student to earn a "license" (i.e., skill certificate), awarded by a professional board or association for a specific votech occupation. Some of the occupations include jailer, auto mechanic, crop advisor, real estate agent, cosmetologist, nursing assistant, home health aid, and SABRE travel agent. In order to earn this votech license, students must enroll in vocational courses, pass professional exams, and work on the job--all in addition to their academic coursework. -- This unprecedented change does not "add choices" to their curriculum--it limits and defines them! This is an unfair expectation of college-bound students who have already gone the extra mile in their education. NOTE: If you would like to have a fax of all the proposed changes, call Jeanne Donovan at 817/346-7068 or send an e-mail request to eca@fastlane.net. ACTIONS NEEDED There are several options. Please do as many as you can. 1) Inundate Governor Bush's public comment line (1-800-252-9600) with requests to stop all further changes to high school diplomas until he receives a public mandate to adopt them. Concerned citizens from other states should call 1-512-463-2000. Remember that Governor Bush will probably run for President. Let him know how his response will affect your vote for his candidacy. 2) Call the State school board trustees, especially your district representative. You'll find contact information at http://texaseagle.org/legcon/education.htm. Members of the Instruction Committee include Geraldine Miller, Chairman, Mary Helen Berlanga, Robert H. Offutt , Grace Shore, and Rosie Collins Sorrells, Ed.D. 3) Call or e-mail your legislators and ask them to demand congressional oversight. Visit the Texas Eagle Forum legislative page for contact information at http://texaseagle.org/legcon/index.html. A general note: Representative's e-mail is: "firstname.lastname@house.state.tx.us" and your Senator's e-mail is: "firstname.lastname@senate.state.tx.us 4) Contact members of the Texas House and Senate Committees on Education. You'll find them at http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/cgi-bin/db2www/tlo/cmtembr/cmtembrs.d2w/report?LE G=75&SESS=R&CMTECODE=C400&CTYPE=House and http://www.senate.state.tx.us/75r/senate/commit/c530/c530.htm 5) Write a letter to your local paper protesting these proposed changes. Many papers now take letters by e-mail. If you want to get your letter printed, follow their guidelines. (See below) 6) Contact other media across Texas, including major daily newspapers, radio, and television networks. You'll find everything you need to locate them at http://texaseagle.org/legcon/media.htm. 7) Give public testimony at the SBOE meeting in Austin. Visit http://www.tea.state.tx.us/sboe/input/ for details on how to do this. For time and location of the Committee on Instruction meeting, go to http://www.tea.state.tx.us/sboe/schedule/9801/index.html#instruct 8) Share this letter with friends, neighbors, teachers, and even school board members. Direct all questions to: Jeanne Donovan, Coordinator Education Consumers Association of Fort Worth and Crowley http://www.fastlane.net/~eca 817/346-7068 eca@fastlane.net The most important education we do is that which we do first at the primary and secondary level - N. Donovan EDUCATION CONSUMERS CLEARINGHOUSE