"Job Training"

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If people are coming out of the education system still need extra job training funded by the state, the what the hell is the education system for?

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To provide a broad-base of education. Honestly, what we do in HS now is 100% college prep, ignoring the fact that 75% of students are wholly unsuited for college or the work required to prepare them for it.

I would cut it off at about the 8th grade - give them the tradtional 3 Rs up until then. By the 8th grade, you kind of know who your college material are. Put the college bound kids in the traditional HS setting and take the "others" and put them in a split program. First 2 years roughly half life skills, i.e. health, civics, checkbook math, maybe a sampling of history and liberal arts, but maybe not, then the other half is exploratory where they try out various trades and crafts. Last 2 years, they focus on skills leading towards some sort of certification, CNA, electrician, plumber, mechanic, metal working, carpentry, etc., i.e. something in which they can make a living. They could also opt for basic office skills that lead to some sort of certificate.

And have the college-bound HS diploma actually mean something. The other kids will have some sort of equivalence diploma, but a true HS diploma would be like a "junior" college degree.

Where am I going wrong?

I know a lot of juniors and seniors in high school who aren't too bright, so I don't think giving them less education is such a good idea.

You need 24 credits to graduate public school in LA. I would make everyone do 4 years of math, 4 years of English, 3 years of science, 3 years of history, and 2 years of health/PE. If you don't want to go to college offer career training / apprentice type things for the other 8 credits. If you want to go to college, then take an extra year of science and history, a couple of years of foreign language, and then whatever other electives.

Americans are by nature convinced that their children have no limits. In truth, they have tons of limits. If you are 5-2 in 10th grade and female you will not ever play in the NBA. If your IQ is 77 in 2nd grade you will never get into Medical School.

I am a firm believer in tracking starting at Middle School. Let's say we make 8th grade the cut off.

In 8th grade little Johnny has an IQ of 89. He has a GPA of 1.2. He has been suspended for disciplinary reasons 4 times. Little Johnny has ZERO chance of going to college. So, why put him in a HS environment with subjects that are college prep designed? It makes no sense.

In what would be his 9th grade year he should be tracked into vocational skills. If you start that early he could be exposed to 5 or 6 different vocational skill areas by the time he is 16. He picks out his favorite and by 18 he is making more money than most of us as a plumber, electrician, construction framer, welder, AC/Heater Tech, etc.

If he gets really good at it and applies himself he can own his own small business by age 30.