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Plan to Improve High School Transition
Plan to Improve High School Transition
Sending the Wrong Message: The Antiquated Tradition of 8th Grade Graduation Ceremonies
The "pipeline" is a common metaphor used in education circles to conceptualize the advancement of students through the public education system from kindergarten to higher education. According to this metaphor, the public education system is divided into major sections based on a student's stage of academic development. Early education begins in pre-school to third grade, elementary education ends at eighth grade and high school includes grades 9-12 followed by postsecondary education.
The pipeline metaphor also is useful to illustrate potential 'gaps' where students prematurely exit the public school system, many of them dropping out of school. All too often, these students fail to continue their education. These 'leaks' commonly occur at the linkage points between adjacent levels of the public education system, most notably between 8th and 9th grade - the transition from elementary to high school.
Currently, we are allowing many Arizona elementary school students to be given an inflated perspective of their academic achievements when promotion from 8th grade is marked by elaborate, school-sponsored graduation ceremonies. The antiquated tradition of an 8th grade graduation ceremony sends the wrong message to our students that the 8th grade "diploma" marks a terminal point in their academic career. Rather, we should treat promotion from 8th grade as the transition into high school in an effort to promote successful graduation.
The Arizona Latino Research Enterprise (ALRE), a group of Latino professionals from across the political and social spectrum who are intent to make a positive impact in Arizona and the Latino community, are moving forward on an action plan to change our collective mindset about high school completion. To begin, the ALRE action plan is focused on the elementary/high school transition and includes:
We recognize that these steps alone are insufficient to improve Arizona's educational standing. Yet, we also recognize that there is no silver bullet to solving the deeply embedded social issues facing our state. We do believe in action, however, and place the highest stock in simply getting things done. We consider the elementary/high school transition agenda outline above as the first step in a broader education agenda. The case for eliminating the tradition of an 8th grade graduation ceremony In 2000-2001, the National Center for Education Statistics reported Arizona with the lowest percentage of young adults between the ages of 18 and 24 holding a high school credential (NCES, 2004). For the Class of 2003, 74% of students graduated from an Arizona high school in four years. And, over the past nine years nearly 10% of students who completed 8th grade dropped out either before entering or during the ninth grade.
Currently, the transition from 8th to 9th grade is an overlooked leak in Arizona's education pipeline. From an accountability perspective, students who do not successfully transition from elementary to high school are in a 'no mans land' where individual schools are not held responsible. Once a student passes eighth grade, the exited elementary school is no longer accountable for the student. If the student never enrolls or attends high school, then the student is not 'on the books' at the receiving high school either. From the schools' perspective, one can understand the logic of this porous accountability system: elementary schools should not be held accountable for students that have passed successfully and high schools can not be held responsible for students who never walk through their doors.
The purpose of our endeavor is not to change this accountability structure. Rather, our aim is to change how Arizona, including schools and the communities in which they serve, view promotion from 8th grade and the transition into high school.
Currently, students participate in official 8th grade graduation ceremonies marking the end of elementary school. The 8th grade ceremonies vary in the degree of pomp and circumstance but can be found in nearly every community in the state.
Eighth grade graduation traditions are not unique to Arizona. They are also held in many other states across the country. At a time when high school attendance was less common and a high school degree was not as crucial to one's financial future, eighth grade graduation were an important ceremony for students who viewed this milestone as their capstone educational accomplishment.
The roots of marking eighth grade graduation in a manner distinct from other elementary grades are found in state statutory precedent. Arizona's K-12 public school system is structured into two discrete halves, elementary (or common school) and high school where 8th grade marks the end of the former half and 9th grade the beginning of the latter half. The State Board of Education (State Board) is responsible to prescribe a minimum course of study and minimum competency requirements for select elementary grades namely third and eighth grade. According to state statute, however (ARS 15-701.E):
Although these "promotion certificates" are not specified as actual diplomas in state statute they are commonly regarded as such by students and parents. Where and how a ceremony became part of the promotion from elementary school is unknown. We could not find any research on the history or origins of 8th grade graduation ceremonies. ALRE is concerned about the message we all condone by allowing these inflated ceremonies to persist. We are particularly attuned to the disproportionate impact of this tradition to the most vulnerable segments of our society. Those with the foresight that comes with completing higher levels of education can put 8th grade graduations in perspective because they understand that this "graduation" is an interim accomplishment in a larger goal. For those with limited education or who only completed up to 8th grade themselves, they may place more value on this accomplishment than is warranted. Also, we should remain mindful that Arizona students can lawfully leave school at age 16, only a couple of years after 8th grade, and any student who leaves school at this time may view their 8th grade diploma as a consolation for their failed efforts.
The tradition of an eighth grade graduation persists because systemic change in public education has proven an arduous task and many past attempts have ended in little substantive change. For example, our tradition of a nine-month academic calendar with summers off is an artifact of the American agricultural society in the early part of the 20th century. During this period, children were need to farm in the summer months so they were excused from schools. Now, we take this calendar as a given and do not question its academic value.
Ironically, parents themselves are one of the staunchest defenders of the status quo, including the nine-month academic calendar and the tradition of an eighth grade graduation. We have discussed the prospect of eliminating the 8th grade graduation with local school superintendents who claim that the parents are adamant about keeping the tradition as a means of celebrating their students' accomplishments. We understand the importance of recognizing the accomplishments of our students but feel strongly that the emphasis should be placed on continuing education, the transition to high school, rather than acknowledging the completion of a stage in a student's educational career where the skills they have received are inadequate to be successful in today's competitive workplace.
Accomplishing our goals
The ALRE action plan fits into broader national and state initiatives. To date, 24 states have started a P-16 initiative to link the largely disconnected levels of public education with tighter coherence with the objective of improving student achievement to prepare the public education system to meet the demands of an increasingly more complex world.
In Arizona, Governor Napolitano has created the Governor's P-20 Council, encouraging children and initiatives to keep children in school from preschool through college. The organization has adopted the pipeline metaphor as a guiding principle in integrating learning across all levels of public education. The P-20 concept is also supported by business leaders such as the Greater Phoenix Leadership.
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