Gallaudet University - Raising the Bar

It's time. It has been a long time coming but it's time to raise the standards at Gallaudet University. There have been talks that Dr. Jane K. Fernandes want to raise the bar as well noting the fact that she graduated from one of the best colleges, Trinity in Connecticut. Seeing the standards that Gallaudet University promote is embarassing to many people. Even more to see that Gallaudet has remedial courses when students can take them at community colleges BEFORE they attend Gallaudet. It's a common practice for many community college students do that prior to applying for a university of their choice. This should include Gallaudet University but sadly that's not ultimately the case.

As for SAT scores taken by deaf and hard of hearing students, resulting scores do not compare well to other universities or colleges. SAT scores range between 320 - 550 in the Verbal, and 355 - 520 in the Math while only 13% of Gallaudet freshmen submitted their SAT scores in 2005. Compare those scores of nearby George Washington University with 590 - 690 Verbal and 590 - 690 Math with 94% of the freshmen students who submitted their SAT scores. Why do only 13% of Gallaudet freshmen submit their SAT scores? Does that low percentage tell a story here as well as the low scores? There could be many reasons. CNN did an article "Deaf students struggle with English to get diplomas" back in 2004 that still resonates today. CNN describes the problems of deaf and hard of hearing high school students who have to face graduation exams in order to graduate from high school. This includes schools for the deaf as well.

But if we look at California's STAR reports for both Schools for the Deaf Riverside and Fremont and compare a typical California high school results in the English language Arts we can see a vast gap.


School for the Deaf Fremont STAR test scores (see larger version)



School for the Deaf Riverside STAR test scores (see larger version)




Perris High School - Riverside county (see larger version)

As you can tell, both Fremont and Riverside English language Art test results do not even meet the typical standard test results of a typical high school in California which in this case is Perris High School. Quite alarming I'd say. And quite revealing, too. What's noteworthy is that a good percentage of Gallaudet University students come from deaf residential schools or schools for the deaf.

If Gallaudet University want to be a leader in excellence in education, they need to raise the bar on education standards. SAT and ACT scores must be required as part of the admission requirement as well as upping the bar for English proficiency. This way Gallaudet University can essentially "force" deaf residential schools to improve their education for their deaf and hard of hearing students in preparation for college education. Gallaudet also need to get rid of their remedial courses in English and Math. If deaf/hh high school graduates cannot meet the basic English and Math requirements, then they should attend a community college and take those classes until they can.

Just as well, the GPA of 2.0 at Gallaudet University is just too low to be in "good academic standing" each semester. Gallaudet need to raise it to at least a 2.5 GPA (ie an "80" average out of 100) in order to maintain "good academic standing" for each semester. A student having a 2.0 GPA is not investing too much in himself/herself for the future, other than perhaps partying too much, and prepare for graduate studies at universities where it is common that 3.0 cumulative GPA is the expectation each semester from students attending a university. Having a 2.0 GPA is practically a 75 out of 100. Not very impressive. Maybe raise it to a 2.25 GPA would be a start at first.

Now, it is rather disengenious to say that Gallaudet University must help newly enrolled freshman students make up the educational slack who had 12 to 15 years to prepare for college leading up to their high school graduation. Approximately 2o to 30% (?) of all students enrolled came from deaf residential schools. These deaf and hard of hearing students don't need to be spoon fed at Gallaudet University. You don't see Harvard University spoon feeding students over there. Why should Gallaudet? And Gallaudet University is certainly not the "Deaf Harvard."

It's time for a radical change. Some tough love is needed at Gallaudet.

UPDATE: "ASC on the Couch" blog came out today with a blog article "Why One Should Not Compare Apples to Oranges: Deaf Students and Hearing Students" which coincidentally seem to be a rebuttal to my blogpiece. The article effectively says that we SHOULDN'T compare deaf and hearing students' score results because their brains are wired differently. Now, why has there been all along the hue and cry from some of the Deaf people of DoD parents who were raised with excellent English proclaim that bi-bi can work or that signing in ASL is the key to better education? Okay. Still they had "18" years to improve using their own educational methods to teach (rather than the hearing people's method) and still the scores are atrocious. Is this blog author, who doesn't provide a name on who wrote that article, saying that ASL native signers of DoD parents with good to exceptional English skills are the exception to the rule?

Yes. The outside world is an English world concerning the United States and other English dominated countries. This is how people survive in the world of business. You know your English well, you have a good chance of having a better life.

As for educational scores and comparing between deaf and hearing students' results, yes, it is critical that we do this because that's the bar that deaf/hh students and deaf educators should strive for. Nothing wrong with striving to good as or better than hearing people. This is what I have strove for while going to regular public school and other universities or college. That same bar on attainment should true for many other deaf and hh people. It's a matter of aiming high because once those students finally graduate from college and leave their protected confines will they see the cold, harsh reality of a real world and not preparing them for such a prospect is nothing more than mere cruelty to them.

Let's not get into this old excuse game about why many deaf and hh students' scores are so low. Teachers and educators had "18 years" to improve their educational methods for deaf and hh students in preparation for college life or life after high school. Good English skill is a good predictor on the potential success of a deaf or hard of hearing person when it comes to having a good job or career later in life after college education. Having good English skill also increase the chance of continuing with higher education in the graduate and doctorate programs.

UPDATE II: Looks like "ASC on the Couch" blog removed the article "Why One Should Not Compare Apples to Oranges: Deaf Students and Hearing Students". I wonder why? But you can still read the whole version of the blog article seen in here (long version) by Technorati (short version).

Why did the author Candy McCullough and/or Sharon Duchesneau removed the blog article? Was it embarrassment? Inappropriateness? I sure would like to know why.

UPDATE III: Actually, ASC's website was hacked in by blithering idiots who took over their website's contents. Even erasing some of the articles that was already written.