No More Pencils, No More Books: Eliminating Senior Year

Want to get rid of senior year? If you ask most 12th graders, the answer would be a resounding, "Yes!" Why not? Senior year, especially that last half where most seniors are cruising to graduation, does not seem like an especially engaging time. When we grownups think of senior year, we might remember partying and hanging out with friends, not hitting the books. Why should seniors get to do that on the state's dime?

That's exactly what Utah state senator Chris Buttars has argued. Recently he introduced a bill to eliminate the 12th grade in all public high schools, which would save $60 million dollars, in an attempt to make a dent in the state $700 million dollar shortfall.

The idea has been controversial, to say the very least (just google 12th grade cut Utah to see the comments on the blogosphere). But other states are considering a similar option, in which students would graduate by exam after 10th grade so that they can enter community college. This one has not been billed as a money saver, but an idea that would reduce the number of remedial courses that students would need to take in college, since passing the exam would indicate a level of proficiency needed for college courses.

Big changes in the school system are often proposed during times of economic crisis, but eliminating whole grades from school? Seems like the students that would benefit most from having public school for longer would get left out in the cold. Graduating in 11th grade and having to look for a job in a dismal market is not much of an option. Going to community college or a vocational program could offer more, but with graduation rates pretty low, around 25% -- to the point that the Gates Foundation is getting involved to help community colleges do better by their students -- this also doesn't seem like a suitable substitute for a full high school education.

Students who don't do well early in high school might be left with dead-end options. At least if those students have a couple more years, they can try and improve their grades for college, but under these grade elimination plans, there is no room for that. Young people will be sorted into vocational and college-bound tracks at age 15. No more messing around kids: decisions about your futures will be made very early on in life. So much for the late bloomer.

Photo credit: Loren Javier