Seeking value in a high school education

Re “Let’s make a diploma mean something,” Opinion, Aug. 27

The analysis of David A. Lehrer and Joe R. Hicks cannot be improved. With luck, California will continue to embrace academic standards for high school graduation. We can then turn to the underlying scandal: that a 12th-grade diploma depends on an exam testing at the 10th-grade level.

PAUL KUJAWSKY

Valley Village

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My bill, SB 517, does not stop the exit exam even for the lowest-performing high schools. All of California’s kids should graduate from high school with the skills and knowledge they need for a successful future. But more than 1 million students are not getting what they need to succeed. We need to know why.

SB 517 calls for an independent study of the impact of the exit exam on low-income, English-language learners and minority pupils. It would help us figure out just which low-performing high schools are not adequately preparing their students to take the exit exam and what we can do to help.

I agree that we need accountability in California’s school system. But we cannot, in the name of accountability, turn a blind eye to disturbing disparities. The pendulum of accountability must swing back to the middle where not only students are held responsible for their academic performance, but also the state for providing the basic academic tools and resources they need.

GLORIA ROMERO

Senate Majority Leader

D-Los Angeles