AIMS may keep hundreds of seniors from graduating
Associated Press
May 7, 2008
TUCSON- More
than 570 high school seniors in the Tucson Unified School District may not
graduate this year because they haven't passed the state AIMS test.
The test measures whether students have mastered reading, writing and math.
Last year, seniors received their diplomas because their AIMS results were
augmented by grades they received in their classes.
It's a different story this year because the state Legislature must
extend augmentation if it is to affect students graduating later this month,
said David Scott, TUSD's director of accountability and research.
Such legislation has cleared the Arizona House but is stalled in the Senate and
may not come up for a vote until after graduation May 22nd, Scott said.
The dilemma facing districts is whether schools allow seniors to participate in
graduation ceremonies, not knowing whether they will earn a diploma.
The district's governing board will discuss the issue at its regular meeting
Tuesday.
TUSD says 82-percent of the approximately 3,200 high school seniors have passed
all three AIMS sections.
But 198 students, or about 6 percent of the graduating class, are waiting to
hear if they passed the math section.
Information on that may not be available for another week or two, Scott said.
"You hate to deny a kid the opportunity to walk and find out after the
(graduation) ceremony that they have the legal right to a diploma," he said.