In a Bind

How on Earth do you teach a class, er-whole grade, containing students who could score a 36 on the ACT and those who wouldn't be able to score a 1? How do you do it when they are in the same classroom at the same time?

How do you reach the kid who is only at school because it's illegal for him not to be there?

How do you tell the amazing football player who thinks he can go pro that if he doesn't start trying to turn in work, he won't make it to high school graduation, much less college?

How do you deal with a class full of Pre-AP kids who scored BASIC on the benchmark exams?
How are you supposed to answer the superintendent when she asks, "Why aren't the Pre-AP kids doing Pre-AP level work?" How do you tell her that it's her fault for allowing a kid to sign a contract saying that they understand the basis of an ADVANCED PLACEMENT class, not even knowing their benchmark scores or even if they read on GRADE LEVEL or higher.

Side note: 75% of my Pre-AP kids scored BASIC on the benchmark exam in Literacy. 90% of them cannot write a complete sentence. I didn't say a good complete sentence. I said "A complete sentence."

What do you do?

It's not hypothectical; it's real.