During my seven years as president of Dillard University, a historically black liberal arts institution in New Orleans, I welcomed seven classes of freshmen. These students had done everything right to get into Dillard. They had graduated from high school with honors, participated in extracurricular activities and had stellar attendance records.
On paper, they were ready for college.
Once they arrived on campus, however, a significant disconnect became apparent: High school had not adequately prepared many of them for the demands of a full-time, five-class weekly load. One out of three had to take remedial courses — courses for which they paid tuition but received no college credit — to catch up on what they should have been taught in high school.
Fortunately, things are changing. Almost every state has adopted higher standards for what students need to know as they move through school. With these tougher standards came tougher tests to measure how much progress is being made.
But amazingly, to me at least, some parents are “opting out” — refusing to allow their children to take these tests. By doing so, they deprive themselves of knowing their children’s strengths and weaknesses while there’s still time before college to address these issues.
For far too long, students — and students of color in particular — have been betrayed by an education system that set the bar of achievement too low. They were given short rations of watered-down academics and low standards, leaving many to graduate from high school without the skills and knowledge needed to succeed in college and professional careers. Students put their trust in a system that underprepared them for life beyond high school.
Today, nearly half of all African-American children who begin kindergarten do not graduate from high school. Of those who enroll in college, only 5% are ready for the demands of five for-credit college courses. When it comes to earning a bachelor’s degree by age 29, 60% of Asian-American students will do it compared to about 40% of white students, 20% of African-American students and 12% of Hispanic students.
The higher learning standards now in place in New York and other states emphasize critical thinking, careful reading of fiction and non-fiction, writing with evidence and high-order mathematics. The new standards compel many students to work harder — and learn more — than ever before.
Are the tests difficult? Yes. Is it painful for parents to find out their children are having trouble grasping higher-level material? Yes.
But will parents finally get objective measures of whether or not their children are on track to graduate college-ready? Definitely.
By opting out, parents do a disservice to all children, not just their own. Without an ample number of test takers, we will lose perspective on how our children are truly doing against the higher bar. This is especially important for students who need a better education the most: children of color, children from low-income families and those who require special education services or are learning English.
This spring, three of my grandchildren who attend public charter schools in Atlanta will take these tougher exams. The exams will tell us if they are meeting rigorous national and global academic standards. If they are not, their parents and I will fight to ensure they get immediate support, so upon high-school graduation, they will be genuinely prepared for our country’s best universities and a globally-competitive workforce.
In the 20th century, we fought for our right to an equal education. Now, 60 years after Brown vs. Board of Education, we are still fighting. Parents who opt out or urge others to do so may mean well, but they are wrong.
No one should be against higher standards or tougher tests. On the contrary, this is exactly what we should be fighting for. We know that the alternative is much worse.
Lomax is president and CEO of the United Negro College Fund.
