Under the present system, Michigan high school students must take yet another battery of standardized tests to receive a state endorsement. Many problems in the past demonstrate that these tests can interrupt the educational system. Recently, students with multiple test identification numbers cropped up in schools with largely transient student populations. The problem created a record-keeping nightmare and highlights problems with the system. The state should re-examine Engler's emphasis on state endorsements to find a system that benefits students.
Engler has demonstrated state control of education as one of his top priorities. State endorsement tests serve as an ineffective means by which to evaluate individual school districts. The faulty system could help Engler wrench control from them and place it in the hands of state administrators - threatening to invalidate schools' work. The state should ensure that such tactics do not interfere with students' education.
Engler's latest plan for state-endorsed diplomas would require them for admission to state universities. The proposal could pose a threat to admissions policies. While in-state students work for a state-endorsed diploma, there is no single comparable system for out-of-state students. This could create an unfair situation; while in-state students who did not receive a state-endorsed diploma would face threatened eligibility, out-of-state students would not face the same criteria. Engler's proposed emphasis on state endorsements could cause admissions problems, threatening universities' ability to find the most qualified students.
Requiring state endorsements could also threaten affirmative action efforts. So-called "standardized" tests include biases against racial and ethnic minorities. Therefore, urban areas with high minority populations tend to score lower on state-administered tests, preventing qualified students in those areas from getting adequate attention. The University emphasizes on affirmative action; requiring state endorsements for applicants could threaten affirmative action - and the diversity of the student population - by limiting the minority applicant pool.
Using state endorsements to determine academic progress could hinder schools' ability to do their jobs. Engler should allow school districts to educate without bureaucratic interference. He must stop using education as a political battlefield and reduce the state endorsement program as a step to improve the state's educational environment.