Governor says Education Board should reconsider "pass four and play" standard

Governor Tom Vilsack says the state Board of Education needs to reconsider its decision to continue a state standard that lets high school students flunk two classes and still remain eligible for sports and other extracurricular activities. “Most Iowans that I’ve visited with are not satisfied with a standard that allows you to fail and still have opportunity (to participate in extracurricular activities),” Vilsack says. “We can do better than that. We should do better than that and our kids must do better than that.” Vilsack has also asked the Board of Education to examine the length of the school year and whether it’s time to have students spend more days in the classroom. Last Thursday, the state Board of Education voted five to four to maintain the current standard which allows high schoolers to get an F in two classes and still retain their athletic eligibility. Critics of change say local school boards should be setting such rules, and most have stricter standards than that state rule. Vilsack says for student athletes to be competitive in the work world, they should not be allowed to flunk courses in high school. “We have to understand that is much different than any other time in this country’s history and in order for us to continue to be the country we must be, we’re going to have to be better educated,” Vilsack says. The governor says he doesn’t think the Legislature needs to pass a law, though. “I think the (Board of Education) can send that message,” Vilsack says. “I think local school districts hopefully received that message loud and clear last week that failing is not an option.”