State Superintendent of Public Instruction Kirsten Baesler says she will be working with the University System on making sure a new state assessment will be a part of the “Pathways to Student Success” program.
Part of that program is to assess whether a student is ready for college. Students who need some further work would be able to attend community colleges before being eligible to transfer to a four year school or a research university.
Acting Chancellor Larry Skogen says because DPI is adopting a new student assessment, that has to be worked into the “Pathways” calculations.
Baesler says it’s critical the new state assessment be included.
"The new state assessment is completely aligned to a new set of standards in math and English language arts, that are deemed college and career-ready," said Baesler. "The standards are a direct result of the University System and our business and industry saying to K-12, 'Our students aren't as perpared as they need to be.'"
Baesler says she also wants to work with the University System to measure what she called the “subjective” areas of a student’s readiness. She says that, too, will help determine where a student can attend a college.
And Baesler says she’s hoping to work with the University System for a more gradual implementation of the “Pathways to Student Success” plan. Originally, the plan was to be partially implemented in the fall of 2014, with a full implementation in 2015. Baesler says that’s too soon.
"2015 is just two years away," said Baesler. "Those students are now juniors in high school. This year's juniors have not had the benefit of understanding what their target is. I believe it would be a little bit unfair to ask them to hit a target without knowing what that target was as freshmen and sophomores."
Baesler says she would support a graduated roll-out of the Pathways program – with a full implementation in 2017.
