Indiana's state board of education is allowing districts to create diploma tracks for students who want to enter the workforce immediately, reports Aleksandra Appleton on Chalkbeat.
So far, it's only a few school districts and one adult learning center, but others may win approval as part of a proposed push to “reinvent” the high school experience.
Yorktown High School Principal Stacey Brewer said some students aren't interested in college or the military. They'll be trained in skills employers value and will "receive preferential interviews and hiring from local employers — including Yorktown schools," Appleton reports.
In Hammond schools, the alternative pathway will prepare students to enlist in the military. It includes JROTC classes.
State graduation requirements are geared for students with college plans: 12.4 percent of the pre-pandemic Class of 2019 received a waiver to graduate without meeting the requirements. Only 59 enrolled in college to pursue a two- or four-year degree or a certificate.
There's already a "Technical diploma" track aimed at trade school or going into the local factories. It requires a certain number of classes like auto repair, shop, welding, etc. Our local school sends a lot of kids direct to work, local employers buy the school equipment like CNC machines...... (I'm in Indiana, some of the local factories hire high school grads in at $23-$25 an hour plus overtime in a place where you can get a starter home for 80K)
Am I the only American who thinks high school itself should be optional? If a kid is ready to work at 14, what's the problem?
Maybe he's not ready for HS academics and needs to grow up a bit. Maybe she loves the arts and wants to specialize early. He's got a penchant for mechanics and wants to apprentice somewhere. She works with her parents' business and isn't sure about what's next.
Lots of scenarios where kids could go on to work, training, or even accelerated HS depending on their aptitude and desires. There's plenty of time for those who change their minds later. Currently we really only have one dominant model, and it's not serving a large percentage …
I'd also love to see some revamping of special ed requirements. I know the person teaching biology at the public high school, and the special ed kids follow the exact same scope and sequence, with double time allotted. So, 10 hours a week for an entire school year to learn mitosis and cellular respiration and transcription and how to solve Punnett squares.
There's utility in learning the basics of this even for students on the non-4-year plan. I did a crash course of high school biology for a relative in a program to earn a certificate to work as a radiation tech, since they review how cells work before learning how radiation affects them. But, for students with no chan…