Okay, let's start with raising the bar. There is a plan to set the bar higher for determining what's considered proficient on the MEAP and the MME. The goal is to boost college readiness and career readiness. First let me just make it clear that it isn't raising the bar higher that is a concern to those of us in the trenches; it is the fact that the bar was to be raised little by little, but it wasn't. Students' test scores did improve as the Michigan Merit Curriculum was taught and learned, but the low cut scores were not increased little by little, instead they remained frozen. Now they want to take the bar and make it unreachable for most students, they have stated that fewer students will pass state exams. The curriculum is still being taught, and the students are still learning, but it won't look that way. In fact, teachers will again be blamed for the failure of their students and the need to cut pay and benefits will be lauded as just punishment for not doing the job. In reality the only thing that will have changed is a number. Look at it like this; you're a member of the pole vaulting team and the minimum the bar is set at is 10 feet, all members must be able to consistently vault over that bar for your team to be considered successful. Your little brother is set to try out for the team next year. You have been working with him and he can easily vault over the 10 foot bar and has successfully, on occasion, vaulted over a 13 foot bar. Now, you just found out that the bar has been raised! In order to make the team, in order to be proficient in pole vaulting, you must be able to vault over a bar that is 16 feet high! Oh, and you have only one chance to do it. Good luck, and don't blame the coach.
Rosemary
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