A top member of the Clinton administration this week praised Horizonte Instruction and Training Center as having a hard-working, diverse population and devoted administration.
"You and Horizonte are simply ahead of the rest of the country," Janice Lachance, acting director of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, told about 150 students filling the school auditorium."Many schools do not have the diversity you have here," she said. "Don't give up. There are all sorts of (educational) challenges that we all face. What is most important is being persistent and sticking to your guns and knowing where to go. And you'll get there."
Lachance, who was in town for another speaking engagement, visited Horizonte Monday as part of President Clinton's effort to promote and expand educational opportunities across the country. Several top administrators are visiting the nation's schools through October.
Horizonte is an alternative and adult education facility serving about 2,400 students at its 26 Salt Lake Valley sites, including the school at 1234 S. Main and sites such as the Salvation Army, said principal James Andersen.
While Lachance praised Horizonte teachers and students, she was dismayed that Utah has opted out of a national testing pilot program pushed by Clinton.
The State Board of Education on Friday voted to revisit the issue after the pilot is complete.
"I think it's a shame. All students can benefit from knowing where they stand," Lachance said in an interview. "Hopefully, Utah will be able to watch other states and other school districts' experiences and feel more comfortable with it."
Clinton has been pushing for higher school standards and national testing to provide data as to whether the nation's children are learning what they need to know. Participation is voluntary.
Under Clinton's plan, which passed the Senate last week, fourth-graders would be tested in reading and eighth-graders in math. Parents would receive individual scores and questions students missed.
Utah students currently are tested in core curriculum performance and through the Stanford Achievement Test and National Assessment of Educational Progress. Scores are compiled on a statewide, not individual, basis.
State Office of Education officials say current testing is extensive and that adding the national test would be an unnecessary burden on schoolchildren and cost at least $800,000 - nearly the amount of the current evaluation and assessment budget.
However, Karen Derrick, Salt Lake school board president, asked Lachance whether school districts could participate in national testing even if their states had opted out.
"I'm interested to see how our kids measure up nationally," Derrick said.
Lachance was unsure of the answer but did say that some locals had opted for national testing before their states had come on board.
Lachance addressed students following a luncheon with locals including members of the Salt Lake City Board of Education. Earlier, she toured the school, its daycare center and several English as a second language classes.
"I can understand what they're going through," Lachance said of ESL students. Her French-speaking parents emigrated from Quebec to Maine, and she learned English in school.
Andersen called Lachance's visit an opportunity for students to interact with national leaders.
"It's a great opportunity for Horizonte to let (Lachance) see some of the things we do here to make this a pretty special place," he said.