
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, July 6, 1995                   TAG: 9507070003
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: C-4   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: The New York Times
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

TEACHERS UNION PROPOSES NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL EXAMS

The nation's largest teachers union called Wednesday for the United States to follow the lead of European countries by instituting a common academic curriculum and a national examination for high school students.

The aim would be to improve the education of students who do not go to college and to give employers better information about students' abilities, said the union, the 875,000-member American Federation of Teachers.

The union said that national tests in the three countries it studied - Germany, France and Scotland - provided greater incentive for students to work hard because almost all were tested, not just those who planned to go to college, and scores affect placement in college, vocational programs, jobs and apprenticeships.

``All we have to graduate high school are minimum competency tests for low-level reading, writing and arithmetic,'' said union president Albert Shanker.

``In Europe students know these exam results are going to be looked upon by employers and used to determine whether they will go to college or vocational programs or apprenticeships - or whether they're not good enough for anything.''

The proposal would curb the historic autonomy of states to set educational policy. While the federal government has been developing curriculum guidelines in some courses, they would be voluntary.

And the Department of Education will not support a national high school exam, said Mike Smith, the undersecretary of education. He said that the federal government should stick to its role of providing education guidance, letting states continue to set their own standards.

by CNB