Bridging the Gap

“The origin of the fissure between lower and higher education in the United States stems, in part, from the laudable way the nation created education systems to deliver curriculum for both K-12 and higher education.” Thus begins Dr. Michael Kirst’s interesting brief history of the curricular chasm between high school preparation and university expectations.

Kirst explains that in the late 19th century there were no organized standards for college entrance so the National Education Association appointed the first commission to try to bridge the gap between high schools and universities. This, in turn, led to the creation of the College Examination Board with regulated admissions testing for many colleges.

In the early 20th century, a new report recommended that high schools adapt themselves to the needs of less academic students, at the same time still providing a different track for students definitely headed to university, which led to the formation of “comprehensive high schools.” This development led to a high school system which was deemed not to adequately prepare students for the rigors of university study. Continuing into the present, the focus on high school as college prep has been diminished for most students, according to Kirst.

Kirst points out that today’s effort to connect the high school and university divide centers in Advanced Placement classes (with standards dictated by the universities) and the International Baccalaureate program. (At this point, Kirst opines that IB is limited in “scope,” which could have a couple of meanings. I’ve asked for clarification on that point.) Meanwhile, the more able students are being better prepared for university while weaker students are getting further away from the target. And the divide persists…

Personally I believe that the IB Diploma program (Grades 11-12) is a good option for many students and can be taken at a higher or lower level of rigor. However the IB Dip is only available in a limited number of American schools, though the number is growing, which may be the “scope” limitation to which Dr. Kirst refers above.

Photo by akahodag