Friday August 30, 2013
TSTRATFORD HE Freshmen Orientation Pg. 3
Volume 41, Issue 1
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R A C L E O Photo by Gil Sanchez
shsoracle.com
Spartan Adventures Pg. 8 Photo by Kali Venable
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New Coaches Photo by Rebecca Williamson Pg. 5
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FORTY YEARS • Stratford celebrates its 40th anniversary this year. The school first opened its doors in the spring of 1973 and the first class graduated in 1974. Several events commemorating the anniversary are planned.
‘Foundation’ of Student Relief
Alumni are encouraged to attend the Homecoming football game on Sept. 27 at Tully. To continue the celebration, the annual Homecoming Dance on Sept. 28 has a 40th anniversary theme. (Photos by Katherine Kennedy)
New graduation plan reduces standardized testing Ashleigh Garrett
The efforts of students, parents, and educators paid off in June, when Governor Rick Perry signed HB5, a bill that cut down on the number of state-mandated assessments. Since the creation of 15 end-of-course assessments (EOCs) in 2011, Superintendent Duncan Klussmann, has participated in a collaborative statewide effort to reduce the testing. “In order to receive their di-
ploma, students would have an overemphasis on standardized tests, taking most of the energy and focus from staff, teachers, and everyone in the system,” Klussmann said, regarding the former 4x4 graduation plan, which required students to complete 15 EOCs in order to graduate. School Board President Pam Goodson believes in the importance of limiting criterion referenced tests because they do not provide student and/
or parents with a comprehensive measure of ability or growth. “Having 12 to 15 end of course exams is extreme and unnecessary,” Goodson said. “As Board President, HB5 is important because the Board is responsible for establishing, reviewing, and updating policy related to graduation requirements.” HB5 creates the Foundation High School Program (FHSP); a graduation plan
that knocks the number of EOCs down from 15 to 5. Effective this school year, the only five EOCs students must complete are those in the subjects of Algebra I, English I, English II, U.S. History, and Biology I. The English EOCs will now be combined assessments, rather than two-day exams with separate reading and writing tests. Scores on the SAT, PSAT, ACT, PLAN, AP, IB, and other national-norm based test-
ing will also be able to act as substitutes for end-of-course assessments. “Students can now spend time preparing for the SAT and ACT and the things that really count for college readiness,” Klussmann said. Students who did not pass an EOC in a subject that is no longer required are no longer required to complete accelerated instruction and retake the exam. However, students who did not pass an EOC in
one of the five required subjects will be provided with accelerated instruction until they perform satisfactorily on the exams. HB5 also eliminates the component of the former testing system that required all 15 EOC scores to count as 15 percent of a student’s final grade in each tested subject area. EOCs will no longer impact the grades of students. Students can relax, as the emphasis on EOCs is ending.