What is the Role of High School?

A local radio station spent some time talking about state budgets and how schools fared in them.  One large question came from a listener that had just about everyone stumped.

What is the role of high school?

The conversation went several directions.  Here is a terribly truncated paraphrase:

• High schools are supposed to make kids ready for college.
• High schools should be getting kids ready for careers.
• There isn’t enough money anywhere to accommodate both.
• College degrees have decreasing value.
• Community colleges have the role of vocational education.
• Colleges will lose money if the vocational role is taken by high schools.
• Colleges and universities have become “re-training grounds” for displaced workers.
• A mechanic or plumber making $50 an hour won’t quit their job to make much less as a vocational education teacher.
• Despite efforts to push kids toward college, growing numbers are going to college unprepared.

…and on and on.  This type of re-hashing the problems isn’t atypical.  But what is there to do?

Here are some ideas that will likely never get off the ground:

• Establish and grow apprenticeship programs for high-schoolers and young adults.
• Re-establish standardized tests as minimum skills test and/or prognostic tools ONLY.
• Re-establish the ACT and SAT as the indicators for likely post-secondary success (not the statewide test.)
• Establish Vocational Charter Schools as an educational experiment.
• Establish that “work” isn’t dirty or lower than “not-working", and is very important and vital. 

If any of the above were discussed seriously, mighty battles would start over the details, like tax breaks for individuals and companies that took on apprentices, how many hours should be allowed, what is “critical” in a minimum skills test, etc. 

Then there will be accusations about pushing certain groups into vocational routes to keep them down.  Politicians will always tiptoe around such charges despite their ridiculousness.   

A question for readers, how many of you make more money than your plumber?  More than the guy who inspected your house before you bought it?  More money than the contractor who keeps the country club grass green and draining properly?  More money than the people who wire all newly constructed building for electricity?

You may be surprised.