The sudden buzz over the relative value of senior year stems from a recent proposal by state Sen. Chris Buttars that Utah make a dent in its budget gap by eliminating the 12th grade.
The notion quickly gained some traction among supporters who agreed with the Republican’s assessment that many seniors frittered away their final year of high school, but faced vehement opposition from other quarters, including in his hometown of West Jordan.
“My parents are against it,” Williams said. “All the teachers at the school are against it. I’m against it.”
Buttars has since toned down the idea, suggesting instead that senior year become optional for students who complete their required credits early. He estimated the move could save up to $60 million, the Salt Lake Tribune reported.
The proposal comes as the state faces a $700-million shortfall and reflects the creativity — or desperation — of lawmakers.
It’s funny how people think that somehow you get rid of the ‘last’ year of high school by eliminating it.
Having both a daughter and a granddaughter who completed all of their high school requirements in three years and went on to college, I can’t understand why such students should be required to finish a 12th year in school. Many high school students benefit from the 12th year and many more don’t benefit, even when they have spent thirteen or fourteen years in school and still have not completed all requirements in their “12th” year. Maybe it is time for the educators to recognize and publically admit a “one size fits all” education model really doesn’t “fit” anyone. And, yes, that would save the taxpayers a lot of money.
Frances Scott
I’ve said for years that what this country needs in terms of education reform is to look at ideas like this one. Kids are spending 13+ years of their life in school before they even get to college and are coming out knowing less and less every year. Maybe we should consider redoing the K-12 setup.
I think a senior year op-out option would be great, as that way it would eliminate the burnout of people who are goofing around because they are either ready to move on to college or join the work force or military. Most kids who go to college have to relearn or retake most of the basic first year college course load anyway.
But then, for all its “progressive” ideas, groups like the NEA would naturally oppose it because they are, in fact, the most conservative people in the world in terms of “keeping the system as is.”
My daughter took and passed the South Carolina high school exit exam in 10th grade. She still went for the full 12 years, but easily graduated from college in 4 years. Frances is right: Maybe its time we started looking at students as individuals rather than as cogs in a unionized governmental wheel (emphasis on unionized).
I disagree. Our kids should be given more advanced classes instead of just allowing them to graduate in three years with the bare minimum. I don’t know about other states, but Texas requires three years of a foreign language and advanced science and math classes, in addition to all of the other requirements, to earn its top-tier diploma. We have a selection of graduation plans for the students to choose and follow.
For those who are inclined toward a trade, the schools should offer a certificate program in welding, carpentry, auto mechanics, cosmetology, etc. Our schools here DO have some specialities that give students both classroom knowledge and hands-on training. The medical high school has a number of career pathways the students can follow and graduate with certification as pharmacy techs, veterinary assistants, nurses assistants, paramedics, and others. For those who can go on to college, they have gained valuable experience and can work decent jobs to help pay for school. Those who are not college-bound have a good start in their careers and can begin working.
If the twelve grade is eliminated, then many students would be only 17 (or maybe 16, depending on the month of their birthdays) when they complete their compulsory education. I would think that those who are headed directly to the work force would find it difficult to find employment other than in the fast food industry and other typical “teenage†jobs. Would there be that many employers who would hire a 17 year-old into a permanent “grown-up†job?
I completed my junior and senior years of high school in Utah [in the dark ages of the mid 70s]. I recall that the curriculum at my school was too easy and did not really prepare most graduates for life beyond high school. But my impression was that the curriculum was designed to prepare male graduates for the mission field (for the LDS church) and female graduates for married life (to those young men returning from the mission field) rather than to prepare graduates for the workforce, the military, or college. I have no idea if that is still the case, but my impression is that the needs of the Mormon Church will always heavily influence the curriculum design in Utah.
As a staunch conservative I nevertheless believe in “outcomes education.” That is, if the student can pass the required exit exams, the student should be allowed to graduate, no matter what the age. This speaks for both those who would graduate early–at 16 or 17–and those who might need more time to complete their exam–18 or even 20. I have two daughters who would have gladly entered college a year early if they had been allowed to exit high school when they had demonstrated competency in high school courses. As it was, they had to take “extra” classes and take up space (“seat time”) in their respective high schools–no more advanced classes were available–before they could move on.
The problem with this proposal, as I heard Mr. Buttars present it in a radio interview, wasn’t so much with the proposal as it was with his “those darn kids just fritter away their senior year, so why should we pay for it” argument. The more measured and reasonable creative thinking reflected in some of the comments here was absent from his interview, and he came across sounding like a fool.
At a minimum 12 grade must be meaningful. If students have completed the required courses and are otherwise ready for college level work then the high schools should make that available. For those not going to college suitable trade schools must be made available. What is unacceptable is to waste that time.
At my FL highschool more than a quarter century ago, there was some flexibility regarding attendance for seniors. Several of us in my circle of friends only took 3-4 classes during our last year. One biked over to the local community college for additional afternoon classes that counted towards college. My best friend and I left at lunch, after 4 classes that included 2 AP classes, and usually hit the beach to chill (about a mile from our neighborhood) before doing our homework. Forcing seniors with ample credits to fill a seat for a full day doesn’t make alot of sense, and I’m glad our school was reasonable about it.
I agree with teatime (#5) that there should be more opportunities for higher learning for high school seniors who are ready for higher learning. Many of the students in our high school ministry (here in Utah) take advantage of programs through our local state school, Weber State. A surprisingly large number of our juniors and seniors take at least one college course (for free or at a discount, depending on their school) at Weber in addition to their high school classes, and some take almost a full slate of college courses as a senior, while remaining (technically) a student at a local public high school. Some of our students will receive on their graduation day both a high school diploma and an associates degree, needing only two more years of college to earn a bachelor’s degree.
I would say that the proposal to eliminate 12th grade does not go far enough. Too many students sit in school for 13 years who simply are not academically oriented. There should be an alternative education in the upper years for those who are ready to move out of the classroom and into a trade. Students who choose to be college-bound should be offered college prep classes at a level that is appropriate for them. We keep our adolescents as children too long. Instead of force-feeding them an education that in many instances has become toothless, call them to responsibility.