Voodoo Education

USA Today opines that schools are setting the bar too low for graduation, resulting in too many students not ready for college or the workplace.

But for state officials, the path of least resistance when parents complain about their kids' grades, and teachers complain about standardized testing, is to make diploma requirements so easy that even the worst-prepared students can meet them. That isn't accountability. It's voodoo education.

Far better would be for states to set the bar for graduation exams high, and help weak students reach it. Some states are doing it the right way, by sticking with tough standards, holding teachers accountable and offering remedial class work.

It's a shame they didn't call for adequate funding, smaller class sizes, highly qualified teachers, and tougher truancy standards. You know, things which might make a difference.