Document text
3 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Home News Latest Stories 10 things to know for Friday 10 things to know for Thursday Emergency services Judge backs Medford marijuana dispensary ban Crater Lake may soon have China connection Crime, Courts and Emergency Services Emergency services Suspected Jackson County car thief arrested in Eugene on similar charges Forgery, identity theft charges brought against suspect who fought with police Ashland police hope to crack down on rowdies Peavine Creek Fire fully lined Politics and Elections Pacific Connector Gas Pipeline opponents rally in Medford BREAKING: Baltimore prosecutor charges officers in Freddie Gray's death Earthquakes hit regularly in Medford (Oklahoma, that is) Medford School Board, Position 6: Curt Ankerberg vs. Janet Lightheart Arthur I. Cyr: Cuba’s enduring challenge to American foreign policy – and American politics Education Appeals court rules against Central Point schools on bus outsourcing Hedrick principal to take helm at North Medford High School More kindergartners vaccinated in 2015 Elementary students honor local police officers Levy backers eye final push Environment Crater Lake may soon have China connection State waives college placement tests for students who hit high marks Stopping fire in its tracks Pacific Connector Gas Pipeline opponents rally in Medford Earthquakes hit regularly in Medford (Oklahoma, that is) State News Forecast for 2015 predicts busy wildfire season Cheers and protest signs greet President Obama in Oregon Oregon Senate OKs bill banning 'conversion therapy' Police: Welsh man traveled to Oregon to have sex with girl Josephine County commissioners pass drought resolution, despite protests Nation - World There's a $10 million precious stone hidden in plain sight at Grand Central Obituaries Helen Nadine Sankey Dickie Miles Hayes Nita Day Layne Alan Battenfield Gene Fredric Wolf Weather Photo Galleries Since You Asked Videos Web Cams Mail Tribune 100 Shareable Sports Latest Stories Chris Singleton: No need for a rematch Crater's Oshiro takes girls district lead Oregon clinches share of Pac-12 title Four tied for lead at Players Challengers hire Martinez as girls coach Varsity 541 College Sports Oregon clinches share of Pac-12 title Ex-Panthers Baldovino, Owirka earn honors In the zone Ducks' Keys chases fourth Pac-12 crown Ducks bring in transfer from Villanova Pro Sports Four tied for lead at Players Many happy returns for Singler Rockets survive Clippers, even series Singler open to remaining in OKC Harper's three homers, five RBIs lift Nationals Community Sports Bailey picks up modified win Wilson delivers in return of local boxing Palmer breezes to second straight men’s title Business Latest Stories Ride & Drive: 2015 BMW 428i Gran Coupe Social media expert to address Women Entrepreneurs of Southern Oregon Rogue Valley Mall filling out with new stores, expansions and moves Haggen prepares to replace Safeway in Ashland on Sunday Single-family home sales take off Real Estate News Single-family home sales take off Never enough: New Starbucks proposed on Barnett Road in Medford Jackson County debt-ridden homeowners have an option New home in an old house Naumes plans custom-crush winery in former packing house People In Business Transportation Erickson finds room to work at Medford airport Lithia Motors nets $40.7 million in first quarter Lithia Motors reports second-best quarter ever Business briefs Medford airport's record run continues Agriculture 1-800Flowers.com reports $10.5 million loss in third quarter Naumes plans custom-crush winery in former packing house New bosses take charge at Harry & David Dancin Vineyards covers up Opinion Latest James Jackson: Who’s driving your fear? Landgren cartoon: What the frack? Arthur I. Cyr: Britain’s important election – in royal political context Granlund cartoon: Texas conspiracy Landgren cartoon: Deflategate intensifies Editorials Our View: Could self-serve ban be on the way out? Our View: Cheers and jeers Our View: Set firm deadlines on blighted houses Our View: Oregon's full of givers, and can use more Our View: Our picks for Medford School Board Letters to the Editor Letters to the Editor, May 8 Letters to the Editor, May 7 Letters to the Editor, May 6 Letters to the Editor, May 5 Letters to the Editor, May 4 Columns Arthur I. Cyr: Britain’s important election – in royal political context Guest Opinion: Child poverty and the Schneider Children’s Center George Will: A patrician blacksmith for president? Dana Milbank: Huckabee's ill-fated quest Kathleen Parker: Matters of perception Guest Opinions Guest Opinion: Child poverty and the Schneider Children’s Center Guest Opinion: Animal-killing program pulls wool over taxpayers' eyes Guest Opinion: Uniting to restore our sovereignty to we, the people Guest Opinion: This Earth Day, we celebrate the Northwest Forest Plan The Medford School Board was wrong: 'American Pageant' is a political agenda, not history Lifestyle Latest stories Community blog: Sorry, Mom, there's more than one beef stroganoff Religion Briefs: Friday, May 8 Fishing Report: Friday, May 8 Looking Up: Once in a while a star blows up Local bass fisher eyes return to collegiate championships Food Community blog: Sorry, Mom, there's more than one beef stroganoff Community blog: Teatime is anytime when recipes brew new dishes Eat your greens (tea, that is) Season Stepp: Make some cheesecake mousse-filled strawberries Page H. Onorato: Baked potato soup is comfort in a bowl Home and Garden Breathe easier with whole-house air purification Dear Monty: Water rights of property owners Paul Rogers: ‘Living’ mulches a healthy alternative to bark Heirloom tomatoes bring ageless flavor Betty Montgomery: You can have a variety of ferns in your garden Health Health Watch: Easy tips to drink more water throughout the day New cardiac rehab center opens at Asante RRMC Community blog: You and Me at 83... Search on for new medical provider for Butte Falls, Prospect clinics Dr. Murray Feingold: Turn down that noise Hiking Biking Faith Religion Briefs: Friday, May 8 Religion Briefs: Friday, May 1 Religion Briefs: Friday, April 24 Religion Briefs: Friday, April 17 Religion briefs: Friday, April 10 Milestones and Achievements Drones helping create unique wedding photos Pick your favorite wedding flowers The ring’s the thing Chic brides are choosing a range of complementary colors for their celebration Registries: ‘Year of the groom’ Columnist for a Day Rogue Healthy Aging Tempo Latest stories Flowers, art and music highlight Art in Bloom Live Music in Local Clubs Peter Rowan, Big Sandy & His Fly-Rite Boys at Rootsfest Dancing People Company presents 'Salon Series' Tina Malia at SOU Music Hall in Ashland Theater REVIEW: Randall Theatre's 'Little Shop of Horrors' a rollicking good time REVIEW: Carson, Patton shine in 'Arsenic and Old Lace' Some Oregon Shakespeare Festival crew members seek to unionize Randall Theatre stages 'Little Shop of Horrors' 'Much Ado' at SOU Music Live Music in Local Clubs Peter Rowan, Big Sandy & His Fly-Rite Boys at Rootsfest The Farr Side: Mumford & Sons’ latest is full-on rock Tina Malia at SOU Music Hall in Ashland Earthquake benefit for Nepal Community Events Hip-Hop Poetry Open Mic at OSF's Black Swan in Ashland Ashland's First Friday Art Walk showcases new exhiits by regional artists Master Gardener Spring Fair at The Expo A Taste of Ashland pairs food and wine at galleries Rogue Valley Earth Day 2015 Movies Movie review: ‘Hot Pursuit’ is a hot mess George Miller returns to his ‘Mad Max’ roots Tom Hardy adapts to life as Mad Max Victor D. Infante: ‘Avengers’ begs the questions, ‘Why superheroes, and why now?’ Movie review: ‘Avengers: Age of Ultron’ has a lot going on Dining Trium is a classic example of a boutique winery Restaurant inspections, May 3, 2015 Taqueria Picaro offers casual Mexican cuisine Restaurant inspections: April 26, 2015 Island Grindz serves up Hawaiian specialties Tempo Videos Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » Obits Blogs TV Listings Movie Listings Oregon Outdoors Oregon Healthy Living Special Sections Business Services NEWS NOW Our View: Could self-serve ban be on the way out? ... Fishing Report: Friday, May 8 ... Local bass fisher eyes return to collegiate championships ... Our View: Could self-serve ban be on the way out? ... Fishing Report: Friday, May 8 ... Local bass fisher eyes return to collegiate championships ... EDUCATION State waives college placement tests for students who hit high marks State waives placement tests for students who hit high marks By Teresa Thomas Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Teresa Thomas Mail Tribune Posted May. 4, 2015 @ 5:22 pm Updated May 4, 2015 at 5:23 PM By Teresa Thomas Mail Tribune Posted May. 4, 2015 @ 5:22 pm Updated May 4, 2015 at 5:23 PM » Social News p bs:newslist StartDate="20121121" EndDate="p bs:datecalc Months="3"" DateSort="1" UseObjects="1" ObjectClass="81" Taxonomywords="2325,665" ExactTaxonomyMatch="1" Image="1" Count="4" --> High school juniors taking the Smarter Balanced assessment this spring or next may be spared from taking a two- to three- hour college placement test if they score high enough on the assessment and take college-level classes their senior year. The state’s Higher Education Coordinating Commission announced the new arrangement, which is being piloted for the next two academic years, in its March-April newsletter. The arrangement was adopted in February by Oregon’s 17 community colleges and seven universities. Many students meet the bulk of their high school graduation requirements by their junior year and slack off during their senior year, said Lisa Mentz, the Core to College Alignment director for the state’s Department of Community Colleges and Workforce Development. “Their math skills especially degrade over time, and then they enter an institution and take that placement test and are placed in the lowest-level math class,” she said. Educators hope that, under the new placement option, students will be motivated to take an Advanced Placement or dual-credit English and/or math class their senior year and begin their post-secondary education in a credit-bearing class. “Colleges will hopefully see better-prepared students who aren't starting out in developmental education,” Mentz said. Having the college placement test waived is contingent on scoring a 3 or higher on the Smarter Balanced assessment, which was fully implemented this spring and will be scored on a scale of 1 to 4. They would also have to earn a B or better in “an appropriate” mathematics and/or English language arts course in the 12th grade and enroll in one of Oregon’s public universities or colleges immediately after high school. “We expect that about 33 percent of students this year will get a 3 or higher in math (on the Smarter Balanced assessment), and about 41 percent will get a 3 or higher in English/language arts,” Mentz said, citing the results of Smarter Balanced field tests in 21 states. Nonetheless, some local students and educators are skeptical about how the new requirements will be implemented. Last Wednesday, Ashland High School senior Noah Bylsma took the college placement exam, the Accuplacer, to see if it would place him in higher level classes at Portland Community College than his SAT scores had. Placement options vary depending on the college or university, but like Rogue Community College, PCC can place students in classes based on their ACT or SAT scores or, if the students prefer, their placement test results. Because Bylsma is a senior and the Smarter Balanced assessment didn't roll out until this year, the new arrangement won’t apply to him. (Smarter Balanced, like the Oregon Assessment of Knowledge and Skills test before it, is mandatory only for students in the third through eighth grades, as well as for high school juniors.) Bylsma, who met the state’s math standards and exceeded its language arts standards on the OAKS last year, said that even if his score on the state assessment had eliminated the need for him to take the college placement test, he would have taken it. “As a junior, I knew a lot less than I do now as a senior, so I don’t think it would have been an accurate placement considering that I wouldn't be starting college for about a year and a half,” he said. “It’s weird to take a test to determine your placement in classes you won’t be starting for more than a year.” Kori Bieber, vice president of student services at RCC, said the philosophy behind the new arrangement is good, but there are still a lot of technical challenges that need to be addressed, particularly at the community college level. “Our primary challenge is that we don’t require high school transcripts (like the universities do) so when a student comes to us, how will we physically get their (Smarter Balanced) score from the high school and how will we validate it?” Bieber said. “We have thousands of students who come from our local high schools, and we’re not set up to look at every high school transcript, and we don’t have a system in place to intake those scores,” she said, adding that community college officials will be making a recommendation to HECC about how to manage the data. College placement tests are free and can be retaken once. Although some students suffer from test anxiety and some people perceive the placement test as a barrier, it currently is the most efficient method for determining a student’s knowledge in reading, writing and math "so they can be placed in a course where they feel comfortable but aren't bored,” Bieber said. “We don’t want to place you in a class you are going to fail or a class that is going to waste your time and money,” she said. Reach education reporter Teresa Thomas at 541-776-4497 or [email protected] . Follow her at www.twitter.com/teresathomas_mt . By Teresa Thomas Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Teresa Thomas Mail Tribune Posted May. 4, 2015 @ 5:22 pm Updated May 4, 2015 at 5:23 PM » Comment or view comments /* $( document ).ready(function() { // Jquery mobile is trying to style the button and leaving a blank gry button on top of a white button $("#viafouracoms .vf-comment-controls li.vf-right").html(' Submit '); });*/ » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501