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Wednesday, September 12, 2007
College Prep Vs. Vo Tech: Is One Better Than The Other?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Should all public school students be required to meet the same standards for a high school diploma or should they be allowed to choose between college-prep and vo-tech plans?
That’s the heart of the debate over the proposal now before the State Board of Education, which is holding its first and only public hearing on revising Georgia’s high school graduation rule at 1 o’clock today.
State Superintendent of Schools Kathy Cox and other State Department of Education administrators think students should be required to meet the same credit requirements, regardless of whether a kid wants to go to technical school, college or start a career after graduation.
Now just because all students will need at least 23 credits — including four years of English, math and science and three years of social studies — doesn’t mean they’ll all be taking the same classes.
Still, some parents and teachers think the plan is foolhardy. Many worry that the proposed requirements, which more closely resemble current college-prep standards, will exacerbate Georgia’s dropout problem.
“College graduates are not the only segment of the population who keep the world turning,” one Loganville mother wrote in an e-mail to state officials. “Expecting every child to attend college is the same as saying everyone is expected to become a doctor or lawyer.”
I’ve been thinking about this issue of college prep vs. vo tech for a few days now, and I can’t help but wonder: Is one really better than the other?
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