A troubling disconnect between Nevada’s high school graduation rates and student proficiency levels in core subjects has raised questions about the state’s education system.
While over 80 percent of Nevada’s high school students graduate, data reveals that only 20 percent are proficient in math, and less than 50 percent are proficient in math and English. The disparity has led many to ask how the state can report high graduation rates despite low academic performance.
In an email exchange with the Nevada Department of Education (NV DOE), the agency admitted that students must participate in assessments for English Language Arts (ELA) and math to graduate but are not required to meet any specific proficiency level on these tests.
“Proficiency levels on both assessments are not used to calculate the graduation rate,” the email stated.
The revelation means that graduation status is not contingent on performance in these core academic subjects.
The explanation has raised concerns about the validity of the graduation rate as an indicator of student readiness. Critics argue that mandating proficiency tests without requiring students to demonstrate proficiency undermines the purpose of education.
One frustrated observer questioned, “Why are students mandated to take proficiency tests as a graduation requirement if proficiency isn’t a requirement for graduation? What is the requirement—having a pulse?”
The Nevada Department of Education (NV DOE) has issued a 22-page manual explaining how they calculate graduation rates, but many individuals have found the document too complicated to understand.
The difficulty in assessing data on graduation metrics has only fueled suspicion that the education system is masking the issue.
The Old Blog in the Desert 
Leave a comment