re: "Job Training"

quote:

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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?

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I think its a pretty good system. The only thing is not everyone is ready to get categorized that way when they are 14 or so. i know I was a late bloomer school wise. I was a straight C student until 10th grade, and then I became a straight A student through HS, college and grad school.

Maybe a core curriculum through 10th grade, one year of life skills and then one year of industry skills with a pipeline to a technical college where they can round out the rest of their skills.