“College for all … time to rethink this call to arms”

In a major report by Harvard University in February 2011, educators and business leaders stated that a “college for all” mentality is no longer realistic, if ever it was. Many positions – known as “middle-skill” jobs – don’t require a degree from a four-year institution. The Georgetown Center on Education and the Workforce estimates there will be 47 million job openings by 2018. Nearly half will require only an associate’s degree (reported in Times of Texas).

The report went on to say “Career and technical education programs, once derided as being for those who couldn’t cut it academically, offer one path. But growing those programs has not been a national priority and their quality is inconsistent at best. Education Secretary Arne Duncan has called career and technical education the ‘neglected stepchild’ of education reform”.

So what does this mean for us?

Our efforts to “transform” and “turnaround” from persistently underperforming to a consistently high performing school system is beginning to gain traction but if the “eyes on the prize” is college for all we may further exacerbate an already reform weary staff and community. We must heed the reality about “middle-skill” jobs and ask how we can create greater interest, opportunity, and access to programs that meet the needs of our county, our state, and nation.

We have from the beginning of our transformation work acknowledged that each learner must meet or exceed high standards. We have never placed the expectation that each learner must go to college. We have however stated that each learner must be prepared for two or four year post high school learning if they so choose.

Even our state has recognized, in policy, the need for college and career ready graduates. Policy however well written must be practically implemented. To do so requires different thinking and different practice. What we really need is additional funding for materials, equipment, and staff for program start-ups and program adjustments in Career Technical Education (CTE). CTE programs must be funded at a higher level than regular education courses. They have to be for one very important reason – they cost more.

We want career ready graduates! We want students taking not just an introductory course in a career area of interest. We want students completing a field of study prepared to earn a two-year technical degree or performing at the Gold Standard in Work Keys (the assessment of job readiness skills) to enter the workforce after high school. This means that in every class at every grade level the skills of reading, writing, and mathematics through Algebra must be mastered. We cannot and will not place students into CTE courses that do not have the requisite skills, knowledge, and aptitude.

In the past, there has been a disservice done to students that were neither interested nor prepared for CTE courses. We have in place a CTE leadership team that will work closely with high school administration and guidance staff to ensure proper program placement.

We have worked hard over the past two years and will continue into the foreseeable future to add as well as reinforce CTE course offerings to attract learners interested in acquiring job ready, career focused skills, knowledge, and experience. Currently, we are in discussions with South Piedmont Community College (SPCC) to create greater course and degree alignment and articulation for both technical degree areas and industry certification or licensure areas. We are excited about the renewed interest, creativity and enthusiasm of SPCC leadership to assist us with these initiatives.

For me, however there remains a powerful paradigm that somehow staff and students in our CTE programs are viewed as “less than” their peers in other programs. In a like manner, our parents and community need better awareness and understanding that CTE programs are beneficial for all especially those who aspire to enter into professional careers requiring four year university degrees. Query, what profession does not require marketing albeit of self, product, program, or service? All students would benefit from Marketing to name just one of several courses available in high school not to mention Child Psychology, Human Development, or Family and Consumer Science (aka Home Economics). These courses are universally germane.

Suffice it to say, the fixation on college for all may be notable but unnecessary. The goal, our goal must remain to educate each learner to high standards preparing them for unlimited possibilities. Irrespective of career choice, each learner must have just that – a choice. That choice is possible only through the mastery of the basic skills and opportunity as well as access to quality courses and instructors.

We are committed to making this happen!