CenLamar

According to a report published in this morning’s Baton Rouge Advocate, Louisiana’s public schools will be undergoing some major changes in order better prepare students for college and the workforce. From the report:

Among new policies on the way or under serious consideration:

–Phasing out the Graduation Exit Exam, which students must pass to graduate, in favor of state tests that students will take at the end of algebra I and other key subjects.

–Requiring most high school students to take a rigorous curriculum because of the growing view that most students need tougher classes even if they plan to pursue a job or job training instead of college.

–Reworking ninth grade, including separate academies in some cases, to stem dropout rates in what experts call a “watershed” grade.

The report also states that of the 60,000 9th graders who entered high school in 2006, only 35,000 are expected to graduate by 2010 and only 17% (or 10,000 students) will earn an advanced degree.

Read more here.