Article “A diploma in tenth grade” relates
“The Times reported this week that under a program starting next year, some high school sophomores in eight states will have a chance to earn a diploma and head straight to community college. To skip their junior and senior years, however, they will have to pass tests known as board exams, which will cover English and math as well as science and history. If they don’t pass the tests in the 10th grade, they can take them again in their junior and senior years.”
WATCHDOG: To start college early is a good thing for students who are qualified. To go away to college two years earlier is a bad thing for students because they are not sufficiently mature.
Over a half century ago, the Watchdog observed a brilliant “Ford Scholar” at Oberlin who had skipped two years of high school. He was the smartest guy in the class; but socially dysfunctional. He paid a big price.
An approach is to allow students to take courses at local colleges while they remain in high school. McCaskey has such a program, as may others. Problem is lack of funds to provide qualified students more than one course per semester. There is also the issue of transportation.
Perhaps universities could provide a program for qualified students who skip their high school senior year, similar to what some already do during their summer programs.
