Failing Schools Crippling Students

Louisiana public school system is failing. In central Louisiana where I reside;there is a policy now to rate schools and assign grades- there are more than a dozen "failing" F-schools where students have a poor record for passing standarized tests called "iLEAP" and "LEAP' - acronym for "Louisiana Educational Assessment Program"  given to students in grades 4 and 8 testing math, english language arts, science and social studies.The Lousiana LEAP exam is based on  Louisiana state standards which define what students should be learning each year.

May 20, 2013, I attended a middle school ceremony where 78 eighth grade students were being recognized for "achievements" during the academic year. I learned that only seven (7) students had passed the LEAP test and that 71 students would have to attend summer school and retest to determine IF they would move on to the 9th grade. I listened and watched students coming forward to receive medallions and awards for most "improved" and GPA above 3.5 and I was baffled.

How could a student maintain a grade point average in the B+ range and not be able to pass a state standarized test designed for that grade level? No one has been able to explain that to me. I was further confused about why 71 students who had not met the criteria for "graduating" from the 8th grade were being "recognized".

Has America slumped so low that we reward students for just showing up? There seemed to be no requirement  for students to walk across a stage and receive a piece of paper and hear parents and loved ones yell out approval.

I asked openly, "how many times can a Non-graduating 8th grader participate in a recognition ceremony at the end of an academic year. No one knew the answer, but one person volunteered a response saying, "You have to leave public school when you turn 21".