By Patric Hedlund
Frazier Mountain High School students are not getting an adequate education in math and science, Gary Sokolowski of Frazier Park maintains. He appeared at the June and July meetings of the El Tejon Unified School District Board of Trustees to express concern about what he is finding on the California State Board of Education’s website about the level of math scores for FMHS students. The state’s STAR tests show that in both math and science, FMHS students are not reaching a basic level of competence.
Frazier Park’s Gary Sokolowski generated these graphs to illustrate his concerns about the lack of proficiency in math and science among Frazier Mountain High School students, as measured in State of California STAR tests. In presentations at the ETUSD Board of Trustees’ June and July meetings, Sokolowski said the board must take leadership to make improvement a priority.
From the ETUSD school board meeting on July 9, The Mountain Enterprise community correspondent for school district affairs, Richard Hoegh, reported, "Sokolowoski spoke about the need to upgrade student performance scores."
Sokolowski prepared graphs to illustrate the need for greater attention to math and science instruction at FMHS, and in the district as a whole.
The graphs show that the students tested, as a whole, did not meet basic competence levels in biology, chemistry, earth science, general math, algebra 1, algebra 2, geometry or even high school math.
The local district is not alone in the need to tackle this problem, which is occurring statewide.
On July 9, the same day that the local district’s trustees met, the State Board of Education voted to test every eighth grade student for proficiency in algebra—before they reach high school—within the coming three years. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger sided with advocates who want algebra to become mandatory in eighth grade within three years. A controversy has begun about the wisdom of that requirement.
Sokolowski, who once ran for a position on the school board, "placed responsibility for the unacceptably low high school academic scores, particularly in science and math, directly on the school board," Hoegh reported. "He stated that he would help, but the lead must come from the board."
Sokolowski had a meeting with ETUSD Superintendent Shelly Mason this week, seeking more information about the district’s plans.
He said in an interview with The Mountain Enterprise that he and his wife had removed their own children from Frazier Mountain High School to homeschool them several years ago. His two children have now graduated with ‘Honors’ and ‘Highest Honors’ from the University of California at Berkeley.
ETUSD Trustee Anita Anderson said in an interview Wednesday, July 16 that she plans to ask that math and science scores for FMHS students be placed on the board agenda, with a request for a report from the superintendent about what actions are being taken to improve math and science scores.
This is part of the July 18, 2008 online edition of The Mountain Enterprise.
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