Smoke, mirrors and dropouts

If you're failing a class, do you stand a better chance of passing a test if you take the exam seven times instead of two?

The Clark County School Board will confront this very question now that the State Board of Education has modified regulations for the Nevada High School Proficiency Exam. On Friday, the Board of Education took the position that high school students should be able to take the proficiency exam up to seven times -- and up to four times as seniors -- even if they haven't passed the classes needed to keep them on the path to graduation.

Students must pass all their required course work in addition to the proficiency exam to receive a diploma. Prior to this year, a high school student had to earn 17 credits to be classified as a senior and qualify for the final four chances at the proficiency exam. As a result, scores of credit-deficient, fourth-year students weren't allowed to take the test until they were caught up on classes. Instead of hunkering down and hitting the books, many of these teens dropped out of school.

Now a student will be classified as a senior for merely attending six semesters of high school -- even if that student has failed a handful of classes.

"If they haven't passed (the proficiency exam) by senior year, they need every chance they can get," said Keith Rheault, state superintendent of schools.

Not if they've bombed algebra, English and basic science. Make no mistake, it takes a concerted effort to fail a high school class in Clark County. A student must skip class and neglect every assignment. The administrative culture of the Clark County School District embraces social promotion and discourages teachers from failing their worst students. Every year, hundreds of seniors complete their high school studies having passed all their classes -- many with a B average -- yet they still can't pass the proficiency exam.

That's because untold numbers of classes -- especially in math -- turn into remedial courses once teachers discover their students aren't prepared for the planned syllabus.

This is no cure for the state's high dropout rate, which is no indication of quality, one way or another anyway. It's an effort to fix a perceived problem with smoke and mirrors.

If the Clark County School Board adopts the state policy as its own, trustees need to be prepared for the inevitable results: a higher proficiency exam failure rate and more public displeasure with valley schools.