Last week, the National Collegiate Athletics Association approved reforms intended to improve graduation rates among college athletes, amid an outcry over the horrendous rates at many schools, particularly in men's basketball and football (see http://www.edexcellence.net/gadfly/issue.cfm?issue=140#1725). Building on its recent plan to require student-athletes to make at least 20 percent progress toward their degrees each year, the NCAA will punish offending schools by reducing scholarships and taking away postseason eligibility. This reform is predicated on calculating an Academic Progress Rate (APR) that schools must meet each year, so one can't help but notice the resemblance to No Child Left Behind. Unfortunately, this reform will also share NCLB's challenges, mainly the challenge of prodding people to do what they don't want to do. In this case, critics warn that upping the academic stakes will cause some schools and coaches to find ways around the standards, perhaps by ushering athletes into easier classes or (further) inflating their grades. The fundamental problem is that too many schools don't care if their athletes are actually students, too.
"NCAA approves plan for reform," by Eric Prisbell, Washington Post, April 30, 2004
"NCAA flunking its graduation test," by Sally Jenkins, Washington Post, May 1, 2004
"Latest legislation could 'dumb down' college sports," by Mike DeCourcy, Sporting News, May 3, 2004