A key goal in education reform in many states is excellence and equity. Education leaders such as Washington's Terry Bergeson have stated that these goals are necessary to build in which all students earn a meaningful high school diploma. These goals will break the link between race, poverty and insufficient academic achievement. Standards-based testing has forced face the facts about low achievement. Graduation requirements requiring passing rigorous tests continue to be a spur to action to address and remove those inequities.. The National Science Education Standards also name excellence and equity as key goals.

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