NEWS SEPTEMBER
30, 2005 • VOL. 42, No. 2
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New graduation requirements ^ and two writing- intensive courses. These new requirements are expected to Governor Blagojevich improve ACT scores in Illinois. In 2004. recently signed Senate students whose class schedules included the Bill 575. which increased new requirements scored approximately 1.8 the graduation points higher on the ACT than other students. requirements for high The average ACT score for Illinois students school students in the state of Illinois. This is is 20.3. while the national score is 20.9. the first time Illinois has changed it's Legislators hope the new requirements will graduation requirements since 1983. help Illinois students bring their scores up to The purpose of the bill the national average. is to make students more This law is prepared for college and expected to do more , the work place. "Before than increase ACT we passed this bill. Illinois scores. Studies have had some of the weakest proved that students high school graduation who take difficult requirements in the classes in high school nation," said Governor are more likely to Blagojevich. Many graduate from college. , experts say that Illinois These requirements will not only help graduation requirements college-bound^ are now average, but still students. A study done . not exceptional. by the American • This bill was Diploma Project stated sponsored by Senator that geometry was very , Miguel del Valle and important for students Representative Calvin who want to work in Giles from Chicago. Giles well-paid blue collar said "With this new law, jobs and low-paying, , students in every school in / l}pm null. low-skilled jobs. The Illinois will be learning Governor Blagojevich increased same study all found the critical skills they need graduation requirements that most jobs required for success beyond high four years of English. school. We have to make The law will also help schools offer more sure that we're preparing all our graduates for what comes after high school. It's important foreign language, art, music, AP, and for their future and it's important for the future vocational classes by increasing funding for of our state." Many Illinois legislators believe these programs. that this law will improve the Although many feel the bill will quality of the Illinois improve education in workforce, which will bring f Illinois, some school more businesses here. districts are concerned helping the state as a whole. that they don't have The new graduation enough funding to requirements will be phased implement the new in over the next four years, requirements. Others beginning with the class of are concerned that the 2009. Eventually, they will bill will limit the require Illinois students to amount of electives have four English credits, students can take. two Science credits, three Despite these Math credits (including concerns, the bill was Algebra I and a course passed and will begin with geometry content). to effect this year's by Annette Dean
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hv James Manias Just put it on our really huge tab: The president said that he was going to try and rebuild New Orleans. And Iraq. The deficit's only at S4 trillion. Does anybody really know where we're going to get all this money? 28% percent of America still loves the President, but search for "failure" on Google and see what happens. The evidence is right there. Smooch, smooch. FINE: An Israeli couple was fined 1,000 rupees for kissing while getting married in New Delhi. The Hindu priest was disgruntled and complained to police. The couple was tried and found guilty of obscenity. Oh my Brahma. I used to think kissing was gross when I was in first grade, too. Hirsute cabbies of the world, unite: Taxi drivers who are bald, have long hair, moustaches, or wear too much make-up and work in Nanjing. China are going to have to groom themselves for a new 10point plan to make the city look smarter. Hey, who said long-haired people are dumb? And what does a moustache have to do with anything? First intelligent man found: Jim Nundt of Minot, N.D. rode his horse to work after promising to do so when gas hit S3.00 a gallon. From one bad kind of emission to the next. These train tracks and the certain death they assure make me sleepy: In Moscow, a drunken man fell asleep on train tracks and was run over by a freight train, which failed to wake him up. He survived because he didn't move—being asleep and all. Can you say. "What the [diddly] did 1 get run over by last night?"