Plan would boost math, science requirements

Measure, now in Senate, would face foe in House

Berny Morson, Rocky Mountain News

Published February 24, 2007 at midnight

Text size

More Colorado Government

More stories »

School could get harder.

The state Senate is poised to approve a bill requiring public high school students to pass four years of math and three years of science to graduate.

Senate Bill 131 gives districts five years to meet the new standards, which are higher than required in any of the metro districts now.

Debate on the measure was halted Friday amid questions about the possible cost of additional courses.

But Sen. Josh Penry, R-Fruita, the bill's sponsor, said the measure will pass when it comes up for a vote early next week.

The bill is opposed by rural school superintendents, who have difficulty attracting qualified teachers to their districts.

Also organizing against SB 131 are groups that think additional math and science courses will come at the expense of the arts and other subjects.

Under current law, the 178 school boards decide graduation standards for their individual districts.

Penry said the bill is needed for Colorado youngsters to meet the challenge from Asian students, who are bulking up on math and science.

Even students who aren't college-bound will do better in the job market with more math and science, Penry told the Senate.

Local school boards would decide which courses to offer. They could include business math for students who are headed to the job market, Penry said.

Handicapped students would continue to meet individual requirements.

Opposition Friday came from Sen. Sue Windels, D-Arvada, chairwoman of the Senate education committee.

Windels said the bill will prove costly because students who fail math and science classes will have to take them over again to graduate, Windels said.

Windels said later the additional courses could turn into "seat time" - a term educators use for required classes kids quickly forget once they pass.

The bill faces a rocky future if it gets to the House, where Rep. Michael Merrifield, D-Colorado Springs, the education committee chairman, is "unequivocally opposed to it."

"Basically (the bill is) saying, 'Everybody should leave high school ready to become an engineer or a scientist and ignore all the other valuable qualities it takes to be a citizen, student and member of society,' " said Merrifield, a retired high school music teacher.

Merrifield said he doubts the bill has the votes to pass his committee.

Doing the math for graduation

• Number of required years of math and science for students graduating from selected districts this spring. Many of the districts are in the process of raising their standards for future classes.

District Math Science*

Northglenn/ Thornton 2 2

Commerce City 3 3

Aurora 3 2 1/2

Boulder 2 2

Brighton 3 2

Cherry Creek 3 3

Denver 3 3

Douglas County 3 3

Englewood 3 3

Littleton 2 2

Mapleton 3 3