High Schools Under Fire

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Control — all signs indicate that today's students are more poorly equipped in basic skills than were their predecessors. After holding steady for decades, the average scores on the College Entrance Examination Board's Scholastic Aptitude Test, still the broadest standard of nationwide educational achievement, have been falling slowly but steadily since 1962. As measured on the SAT'S 200-to-800 scale, average verbal ability has fallen by 10% (to the 430 level), while average math skills have declined by 6% (to the 470s). Expectations that gifted s students, at least, would benefit from the infusion of money and technology into education also seem dashed. The number of high achievers on SAT tests (those scoring over 600) has been dropping. A report commissioned by the College Board found that scores of top students —valedictorians and salutatorians in 145 high schools—showed a similar decline. Graduates who claim that they are illiterate have taken school boards to court in some states. Meanwhile, colleges complain of entering freshmen who read at the sixth-grade level.

Rising violence. The mayhem wreaked by students on their own schools—and teachers—continues to grow. In 1975 the latest year for which totals have been compiled, secondary-school students attacked 63,000 teachers, pulled off 270 000 school burglaries and destroyed school property worth $200 million. The level of violence has continued to climb especially in the much-troubled big-city schools. In New York City, 132 teachers reported physical attacks in the first six weeks of this school year alone.

Spreading shutdowns. Taxpayer rebellions against ever-rising educational costs, which are largely supported by property taxes, are forcing school systems to the financial wall. Partly because the city did not put a school tax increase on the Nov 8 ballot—it would never pass, officials said—Cleveland's 110,000-student system is flat broke and remains open only because a federal court has said it cannot close. Some 40 other Ohio school districts are also facing shutdowns.

Teacher troubles. Despite the spreading taxpayer revolt, teachers continue to close schools all over the country to dramatize their pay demands. They have struck in 93 communities—from Franklin, Mass., to Fremont, Calif—since January.

Mounting absenteeism. According to the Washington-based National Association of Secondary School Principals, absenteeism is now the worst problem facing teachers, ahead of poor motivation, lack of discipline, vandalism, tardiness and drug use. In Florida's Dade County (Miami), school officials trying to cut double-digit truancy rates in low-income areas have been experimenting—rather successfully—with luring kids to class with free hamburgers, Frisbees, T shirts and yo-yos donated by local businessmen. After a decade of stormy debate, there is no consensus about how schools can right the wrongs. Conservative back to basics" forces rail that '60s innovations have left schools flaccid. They demand a return to a three-Rs curriculum and call for "minimal competency" testing, to make sure that high school students are not granted diplomas until they can read and write at some rudimentary level. More progressive forces disagree with this approach. "I'm all through with mandating, with forcing students to