Campaign fails to reflect Cd'A schools

We join the Idaho School Boards Association (ISBA) and a number of school boards and superintendents across the state who are concerned about the Albertson’s Foundation’s Don’t Fail Idaho campaign. At the Coeur d’Alene School Board’s March meeting, we openly discussed this campaign’s limited and inaccurate depiction of the readiness of Idaho high school students to go on to college.

You’ve likely seen the ads of children being dropped off a school bus in the desert, with the statement that only 20 percent of Idaho students are ready for college. The concern we share with a number of educators and organizations is that determination of “college readiness” in the Don’t Fail Idaho campaign is too narrowly based on SAT scores alone.

We also have a great concern about how this campaign, in turn, affects the attraction and retention of great educators in our community and our state. It sends a discouraging message to both our excellent teachers and to people considering teaching in Idaho. It is also disheartening to our high school students.

We want to make clear: There is no question that Idaho, and the Coeur d’Alene School District, can do better in preparing our students for post-secondary education. However to say that only 20 percent of Idaho’s students are ready to go on to higher education based solely on the SAT results is deceptive. Idaho is one of only four states that administer the SAT universally to one grade level. In most states, students “self-sort.” Only those choosing to challenge themselves with the SAT take it. Thus comparing Idaho nation-wide is comparing apples to oranges. In Coeur d’Alene, our students’ success rates in college are higher not only than the state of Idaho, but also of the nation:

• 74.2 percent of our students who go on to college and complete their first year, continue on with their second year of college/ university (compared to 68.7 percent in the nation and 46.2 percent in Idaho).

• 34.2 percent of our students receive a certification/ degree from a college or university (compared to 32.1 percent in the nation and 16.8 percent in Idaho).

Our District’s mission states that we will create “future-ready citizens.” There are many routes to becoming “future-ready,” and many ways to measure such readiness. We proudly provide choice and opportunity such as dual-enrollment classes, Advanced Placement Classes and KTEC and other Career-Technical Education classes to our high school students. The College Board recently recognized our district for the advanced opportunities we provide to our students, and the success they demonstrate.

Region 5 superintendents, in their statement about the Don’t Fail Idaho campaign, stated, “Our students leave our high school campuses and embark on multiple career and college paths. Some choose junior colleges. Some choose two-year technology programs. Some attend technical schools and academies. Some start their own businesses or attend management schools. The SAT has no predictive power for these viable avenues. Those that choose a four-year university may be subject to these national statistics but we teach our students that they can beat these odds every day and they do.”

We agree also with the Idaho Business for Education’s recent public comments, “These SAT scores are not an indictment of our teachers or our schools. We have hard-working teachers and professionals across the state. Rather these scores are a reflection of our communities’ historical priorities. Idahoans should not be discouraged by this gap. Rather they should use it to mobilize community action. We can close this gap with an unrelenting focus on student achievement. But first, each Idaho community must want and choose a brighter future for itself and for its young people.”

We encourage a dialogue about ideas and actions. We wholeheartedly concur with our colleagues in Region 5 when they declared: “If the Don’t Fail Idaho organization continues to drop those students in the desert, rest assured that our districts will pick up those remaining students and place them at the doorstep of their pathway to a successful future.”

Tom Hearn is a Coeur d’Alene School District trustee and the Idaho School Boards Association Region 1 Chair. Matt Handelman is superintendent of Coeur d’Alene School District 271.