Travel observer

Wednesday, November 19, 2008
High school education must go beyond preparing students for college, a board of panelists agreed during an education summit held Tuesday in Longview.
Hundreds of business leaders, elected officials, educators and school district administrators gathered at the Pinecrest Country Club for a day of discussions about the importance of workforce education.
"What we're trying to do here in Longview ... is bring forth and recognize the different skill sets (of students) and get parents to understand that there are high-paying jobs for these skill sets," said Longview Mayor Jay Dean, one of the panelists who spoke late Tuesday morning.
"We have to have the political courage to encourage parents to be aware of their child and what their child is capable of," Dean later added.
Getting parents behind the push to teach workforce skills, such as welding and mechanics, is one of a handful of challenges panelists discussed.
They also talked about another challenge of showing non-college-bound students why their studies matter.
"We have to get to them at an early age," said panelist Pamela Anglin, president of Paris Junior College. "Many have no idea what it will take to get a job."
She suggested having people in different industries talk to students about what is needed in their field.
"Give kids hope," Anglin said, "so that by the time they get to eighth grade they know there's a reason to graduate high school. There's a reason to do well in their high school classes."
Patsy Bolton, superintendent of Sulphur Springs Independent School District, said the Texas Legislature must support such education diversification efforts.
For example, Bolton said, state requirements that began in 2007 require every high school student to take four years of math and four years of science if they want to complete the recommended high school program.
The intent was to get students higher-level math and science skills, though some students don't need that, Bolton said. In addition to being irrelevant for those students, those classes take up time that could be spent in career and technology classes, she said.
John Stroud, panelist and executive director of Longview Economic Development Corp., listed four things business leaders and educators can do to address the needs of the country's future workforce.
First, forget the voucher system, he said.
"It takes our attention away from what we're doing today," Stroud said.
Second, the change in career education has to happen today, not some time in the future. Also, educators and the public must fight a push to take career and technology classes out of the calculations for grade point averages.
"I think (career and technology programs) are going to go down the tubes when they're not able to use that for GPA," Stroud said.
Finally, he said, businesses have to continue to spread their message to students, as military recruiters do.
After the hour-long panel discussion, Bill Ratliff, former lieutenant governor and state senator, touched on some of the same notes as the panelists.
"Every child is not going to go for a baccalaureate," Ratliff said. "There are people in Austin who believe a high school diploma should prepare all kids for college."
That's not realistic, he said. "We've got to meet these kids where they are."
Ratliff, who serves on the advisory board for student advocacy group Raise Your Hand Texas, said the group will focus on three issues this upcoming legislative session. One of the issues is allowing alternative diploma options, including a career and technology path.
"What we've got is a bunch of students who do not believe the current high school curriculum is relevant in their lives," Ratliff said. "As long as that's they case, they're not going to be inspired to stay in school or do a good job while they're there."

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