More Math, More Chemistry, More Social Studies?

It appears as though Tom Horne's initial response to Arizona's
P-20 council recommendation that high-school students should have
more math is not completely sync'd with his current position.
Initially, I read where Horne said requiring more math will
result in higher drop-out rates and he has presented data to
support his expert opinion. In later reporting, I read the
following: "State schools chief Tom Horne wants to expand
the AIMS test to include subjects such as American history,
chemistry and trigonometry." I'm not sure anybody has said
anything about "more math" implying trigonometry, but if Horne
is concerned about dropout rates--I'd be concerned about the
requiring chemistry along with trig.


Note: Arizona's Instrument to Measure Standards tests (AIMS)
is adding a biology component in 2008.


With respect to expanding AIMS content, the EastValleyTribune.com
quoted Horne saying the following: "There are a number of elementary
schools where they've stopped teaching science and history. That's
a catastrophe. This is the only solution. We've been trying to urge
(teachers) to teach science and history and the arts, but if we don't
test it ... they don't do it."