Although the United States hasn’t recently been the world’s best at mathematics according to data released by the Program for International School Assessment, local educational boards and councilmen shouldn’t admit defeat – or place the entirety of responsibility on citizens’ shoulders. Instead, they should follow in the footsteps of the Massachusetts Board of Higher Education, which decided Tuesday to approve an initiative that will require high school students to take four years of math if they want to attend a public state university.
The mandate will be implemented in 2016, meaning that next fall will mark the first crop of Bay State high school students who will decide to either adhere to or reject the new advisement. Students will have to contemplate their enrollment in secondary institution in advance, especially if they want to capitalize on in-state tuition at community colleges or four-year schools. Science and math requirements continue to be unevenly distributed across the nation, but the Massachusetts board’s decision signifies an understanding of what’s at stake if the United States continues to lag behind other countries in academic performance, specifically in math and science.
Charlie Desmond, chairman of the board, told The Boston Globe that students “need to be prepared for a rigorous academic experience.” As bachelor’s degrees continue to lose value in the job market and high school diplomas near their expiration date, Desmond’s statement couldn’t be more accurate. Increasing the stakes for high school students has proven to be beneficial in states such as Maryland, which has ranked number one for its public school system in Education Week magazine and on College Board for high AP scores.
In order to inspire high school students to enroll in college and catapult the nation into a higher place on the International School Assessment list, schools should be accountable for challenging them and holding them to a higher standard. By working side by side, the board, schools and teachers can effect change in Massachusetts. States that have chosen not to take this step should do so in order to secure a brighter future for American students, a future that will only be guaranteed through those students’ ability to compete with the rest of the world. Rapid progress can’t be expected but in the absence of stiff requirements, progress can’t be made at all.
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