Graduating High School With A Second Grade Reading Level

College Confidential Community
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<p>I just read this interesting article in the New York Post about a young man who graduated high school with a second grade reading level. </p>

<p>It is heartbreaking, because his stepfather is now trying to obtain specialized tutoring for the young man, even though he has already graduated. </p>

<p>here is the article…</p>

<p>[A</a> diploma I can’t read](<a href=“http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/bronx/hs_graduate_got_cheated_of_an_education_ZC10KchIszRn4mGc1zUVjK]A”>A diploma I can’t read)</p>

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<p>What I want to know is how his mother and stepfather allowed this to happen. It’s not just the school’s fault.</p>

<p>What happened to him is an example of why I support testing. Some people complain that testing means that teachers teach to the test. At least then there is some accountability. IF the students just know what’s on the test, that’s better than knowing nothing at all. Of course, if the teachers break the testing rules by reading tests to students who can’t read, then even testing doesn’t keep students from graduating who haven’t learned yet what they are supposed to know at graduation.</p>

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<p>Sounds a lot like what would have happened to me had I not been in a good school district, only with math instead of reading. I could never do any of the math and was never held back, never given any extra help, nothing, even though I had been diagnosed with a learning disability-- graduated high school with a 7th grade math level, having been in mainstream math despite there being two classes beneath mine that weren’t even special ed. The school assured my parents everything was legit, they didn’t know any better, and they forgot I was ever diagnosed with LDs. It’s a shame this kind of thing happens. I especially liked the line about how he was probably allowed through because he was well liked-- I had math teachers practically kick and scream in HS when I tried to get moved into a lower class because they thought I was so bright and mature that it couldn’t be necessary, even though I was failing. And I was at a middle-upper class suburban high school, it happens all over. And now that he has the diploma they’re using it against him in his hopes to get tutoring. It’s hard to believe that kids can slip through the cracks like this, but they do.</p>