LA Education Swamp Leaders Move to Water Down High School Graduation Requirements

 Thousands of Louisiana seniors earned an opportunity to put on their graduation caps and gowns and walk across a stage to receive their high school diplomas this summer. They did so by staying in school and working hard to meet a modest set of graduation standards that have been in place for at least 30 years in Louisiana. High school graduation is a hard-earned rite of passage—particularly for the Class of 2023 who survived COVID lockdowns, remote learning, social distancing, and a million more challenges stemming from the pandemic that we may never truly understand. For many students, graduation day represents the light at the end of the tunnel. They view that diploma as their ticket to a good college, a good job, a good life, and economic freedom. 

Now the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) is considering action that will eviscerate the state’s existing graduation requirements and make those diplomas far less valuable.

As a state that is already ranked among the top 10 worst in the country for graduating students that are college-ready, Louisiana should be bolstering high school curriculum and graduation standards, not watering them down. 

Today, all high school seniors must meet the state’s LEAP test scoring requirement to graduate. While that may sound like a tough standard, in reality, it’s quite modest. Simply put, all students have to do is score at least “Approaching Basic” in one out of two English courses, one of two math courses, and either science or social studies. In addition, students are allowed to take the test multiple times if they need to, in order to “pass” and graduate. 

Louisiana put these minimum standards in place more than three decades ago in an attempt to ensure that our high school graduates can demonstrate the basic skills that are necessary to be successful in college, technical training, or on the job in the workforce. Current data suggests that we’re falling short of that goal already. Nevertheless, BESE wants to adopt a new policy that lowers the bar for graduates, rather than raising it. 

Under BESE’s new proposed policy, any high school senior would be allowed to apply for a waiver of these basic graduation standards so they can get their diplomas without ever having to pass the LEAP. The complete policy for the waiver process is available online at https://bese.louisiana.gov.

BESE president, Dr. Holly Boffy, who has been leading the charge in support of universal waivers for graduating seniors, attempted to justify her position by saying, “The standardized testing process itself serves as a barrier to students, preventing them from validating the learning they have achieved."

Holly Boffy speaking in 2019.

Nothing could be farther from the truth. Lowering expectations creates barriers for our students, not assessments and accountability.

Should we really be graduating high school seniors who are unable to demonstrate basic reading and math skills under any circumstances? Of course not. This may get them across the stage on graduation day, but it puts them at a significant disadvantage when they begin their next chapter in life. If they are going to college or university, they will have to pay more for remediation classes just to catch up with their classmates. If they are going straight into the workforce, the lack of basic skills and proficiency will put them at a significant disadvantage when competing with others for jobs and opportunities. We should NOT do this disservice to our children. 

Louisiana’s basic and long-standing graduation standards are an essential component of our public education system, which is supposed to foster academic excellence, promote equity and ensure that all of our graduates are equipped with the necessary knowledge, skills, and competencies they need to thrive in an increasingly competitive and complex world. 

In order to help every student see a world full of possibilities and succeed in life, we have to set reasonable expectations and clear a path to help them get there. With the right kind of support and guidance, they will rise to the occasion every time. Lowering expectations and limiting their future opportunities is not the answer.

If you oppose the adoption of watered-down graduation standards, contact BESE and ask them to hold a public hearing on this issue. Here’s how BESE “invites” members of the public to comment on their policies:

 “Interested persons may submit written comments via the U.S. Mail until noon, [insert date], to Shan N. Davis, Executive Director, Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, Box 94064, Capitol Station, Baton Rouge, LA 70804-9064. Written comments may also be hand delivered to Shan Davis, Executive Director, Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, Suite 5-190, 1201 North Third Street, Baton Rouge, LA 70802, and must be date stamped by the BESE office on the date received. Public comments must be dated and include the original signature of the person submitting the comments.”

If you are not into snail mail and would like to call or send an email instead, contact info for BESE President Holly Boffy and the other BESE board members is available online at https://bese.louisiana.gov/about-bese/bese-members.