More demanding classes are coming for Chesterfield students
By Greg Pearson STAFF WRITER

Chesterfield students and their parents can expect more rigorous courses in order to graduate from the county school system. School Board members were briefed last Friday on the progress being made by five teams formed shortly after Superintendent Marcus Newsome assumed his new position, which are studying and evaluating pending programs.

How more math, world language and advanced classes will affect graduation rates is unknown, but the board and school staff are going to implement more demanding academic requirements. Currently, about 20 percent of Chesterfield students who enter the ninth grade do not graduate. While that figure may seem high, the national rate is 40 percent.

Often adults who have not graduated from high school return to the classroom to finish their degrees. There are 4,400 residents now enrolled in evening adult education classes in the county.

Today, only one-third of Chesterfield students who move on to the ninth grade have taken any algebra in middle school. The goal is to double that percentage by allocating more classroom time for math.

"We've got some work to do," admitted Donna Dalton, director of curriculum and instruction.

Already, two elementary schools are offering world languages - French at Robious and Chinese at Watkins. By 2012, Dalton said all schools will offer a world language.

"We have started teaching harder [subjects], and the third grade tests show the students can do the work," said Dr. Dale Kalkofen, assistant superintendent for instruction.

Different achievement levels are apparent in elementary school. "Those gaps start early and grow larger," acknowledged Kalkofen.

To close those achievement gaps, certain subgroups will likely receive more attention. The staff report said "…Black students have lower achievement scores on a variety of measures of academic achievement, [and] fewer minority students in all subgroups from the NCLB [No Child Left Behind Act] are enrolled in advanced courses and gifted programs."

According to county Demographer Bill Handley, the No. 1 place that Chesterfield draws new residents from is the city of Richmond. Some county leaders believe that often occurs when children reach school age, and parents want to take advantage of Chesterfield's public educational system.

The update also advised School Board members "the path to academic excellence diverges early…with minority and subgroup students being tracked into lower level courses." Other subgroups include students whose native language is not English or who have disabilities.

The interim report called "race, culture [and] socioeconomic differences…a major issue" in the county school system that requires "more inclusive practices for minority students…and higher expectations for all students." It also recommended "…higher levels of mathematics and thinking skills in general in curriculum."

New science textbooks

New science textbooks may be selected this week at the School Board meeting. School Board members were briefed last week by Dr. Jeremy Lloyd, the school system's science specialist overseeing the adoption of new textbooks. The typical science textbook being used in today's classroom was selected in 1998.

Lloyd told the board that the selection process included input from committees, teachers and parents. He said teachers believe any options on the state-approved list would be better than the aging books that are being used now.

Where applicable, none of the textbooks teach Intelligent Design, a religious interpretation to science. About 50 parents at a community meeting on Apr. 5 asked Lloyd why that concept wasn't included in any of the books under consideration. Lloyd told the board that the latest textbook to include Intelligent Design was published almost 20 years ago.

"The status quo is to teach evolution and not Intelligent Design," he said. "Science wants to teach the scientific method."

School Board members recognized the sensitivity of the subject and seemed to measure their words. Board member David Wyman of Dale District said he believed there were three groups when it came to the evolution subject - those who believed in evolution, those who opposed it and those who favored also teaching Intelligent Design.

Currently, Chesterfield teachers are encouraged not to be judgmental, and when classroom discussion includes Intelligent Design, students are recommended to discuss their beliefs with their parents.

Several board members urged a board policy on the subject. "We should take a leadership position," advised Jim Schroeder of Midlothian District.

"We're going to be in a morass if we don't," agreed Dianne Pettitt of Clover Hill District.