



For the past few years I’ve viewed the different means of rating the schools of New Hampshire and our nation. Using some rubric known only to the people who publish the lists the school are given a rating as to how they compare to their surrounding schools. In reality, how schools are rated depend on standardized tests, SAT, AP, or ACT scores, dropout rates, percentage of students going to college, facility, curriculum, the color of the principal’s teeth or anything else one can place a number on.



The most important data point is usually ignored because it is more difficult to equate. I am talking about how well our students do in their post-secondary lives. A tracking of students after they graduate would be the best means of rating a school for, after all, isn’t the future of our students why the schools exist?



I had a unique opportunity in my classroom today. I invited some of the students who are now going to college or have graduated college and are now working on their thesis. I did this to show my present students what and who they could become even though they are in a suburban not-so- affluent school system.

One of the students I invited was an ex-student who graduated from Colby College of Maine. She is now working on her PhD in neuroscience at Brown University. In my chemistry class she was a hard working student who had remarkable study skills and habits. I also invited a student who is now at Dartmouth College and a third who is at Texas Tech. When I told my students about their participation many students from other disciplines of the school wanted to be a part of the discussion. This clearly demonstrated a need by my students to see what their futures could be if they put the time and effort into their studies.



An important point one of my past students stated was how important it was to “network” with professors when they go off to college or work. Grades become unimportant or at least not the most important way to succeed. She told them they should seek out professors or colleagues in order to advance in their careers. Many of my students didn’t realize this fact about their post high school years. In other words, grades and standardized tests become irrelevant.

I try and keep track of my past students through communication if they need any help in chemistry or in order to help them with any possible scholarships needed to continue their education. Many have also used me as a reference for a job or graduate work. I am proud to say many are living full and interesting lives. I am also saddened how some are not living the dreams they had in high school. This brings back an old Cat Stevens song, or in his case poem that warns,” Think a lot, think a lot, think of everything you got for you’ll still be here tomorrow but your dreams may not.”



How fulfilling would it be for a school system to be rated on how well their students were prepared for their futures whether this means studying neuroscience, running a business, starting a family and this becoming teachers of their children, defending their country, or anything else that makes them a full and potential citizen and person.



You see tests or any other scale to judge a school means nothing. Everything depends on how well the students and thus the children of my community do. I tell my student most every day that they will forget their AP scores and class rank as soon as they enter their post-secondary world. But, they won’t forget how well they were prepared through their high school years and hopefully won’t forget the many teachers whose life work it is to have them succeed.

This means of ranking will never happen. We will continue to rank our schools according to standardized tests, facilities, and in reality how much a community can spend on their children at their schools. As John Lennon once wrote, “Imagine” if this means of rating our schools was possible.



Jim Fabiano is a teacher and writer living in York, Maine