Al Campbell – Compass Points 6.14.2006

If you know a high school student about to graduate from Wildwood, Middle Township, Lower Cape May Regional, Millville, Technical School or Ocean City, you still have time to buy a card and present, just don’t put it off any longer.
When that graduate latches onto his or her long-sought diploma, they should have a sense of pride within their bodies. That is because they have studied harder and made a higher grade than at least some of their peers across the land.
To earn a New Jersey diploma, those students will have had to earn at least 110 credits. Many will have earned more, of course, but that’s the minimum set forth by N.J.A.C. 6A:8-5. That translates into 20 in language arts, 15 in math, 15 in science, 15 in social studies, including two U.S. History courses, 3.75 in health and physical education.
Technology literacy must have been integrated throughout the curriculum.
They must also have earned five credits in visual and performing arts (art, music theater, dance), five in career education and consumer, family and life skills (practical arts), five in world languages, and 15 electives from the proscribed core curriculum standards.
I would toast all that with maybe two root beers, a large pepperoni pizza, and a slice of cake with a scoop or two of mint chocolate chip ice cream.
Why?
Well, because those grads have, according to what I can garner on the Internet, out studied their brothers and sisters in Delaware and Oregon.
I did this because we fret so dearly about the cost of education here in the Garden State. We are burdened with such a heavy property tax rate to pay for state-mandated education.
If those same grads were preparing to graduate from a Portland, Ore. high school, they would have to earn 22 credits. That’s right, 22.
Broken down it would require three in language arts, two in math, three in social sciences, one in applied arts, fine arts or a second language, one each in physical education and health. They must also meet “elective credits to meet local district requirements,” according to the Oregon Department of Education.
They must “develop an education plan and build an education profile, demonstrate extended application through a collection of evidence (determined locally) demonstrate knowledge and skills in personal management, teamwork, communications and problem solving, employment and career development, also to be determined locally.
They must also “participate in career related learning experiences as outlined in the education plan.”
Delaware is pretty much the same with a minimum of 22 credits in order to graduate including: four in English Language Arts, three each in mathematics, science, and social studies, one in physical education, half credit in health, one credit in computer literacy, three credits in a career pathway, and three and a half in in elective courses.
A “credit” in the First State is a minimum of 135 hours of actual classroom instruction or a demonstration of competency. Oregon doesn’t define that on its Web site.
Delaware school boards and charter schools’ boards may establish requirements over and above the minimum number of credits required by the state Department of Education.
Every taxpayer should be invited to the graduation ceremonies of their districts. That way they could see what 13 years of tax money has paid for as each academic-robed student crosses the stage to get their hard-earned diploma.
It will be mentioned, but unlikely, that to make graduation possible, it took far more than just tax money. It took a desire to learn, good teachers and concerned parents or guardians.
When conditions are right, education takes place, growth occurs, and we all benefit.
Congratulations, Jersey grads!