Should US high schools dual-track students: some on college prep and the rest in vocational prep?

[OtterMan68]

When a student enters 9th grade, he or she sits down with a guidance counselor. They go over the student's grades, reading level, math scores, and interests. The counselor suggests college track or vocational track. If the student choose college prep, he or she has two years to show her or she can handle it. If grades are below a 2.5 GPA, they are put on vocational track.

Vocational track would teach a skill applicable to 21st century jobs, and schools would try to find apprenticeships for seniors. Now that may be limited in rural settings.

Right now IMHO, schools tend to put all students on a college prep track for at least the first two years of high school before the student is given a chance to take vocational education, and by that time, the student may have fallen behind and has to re-take classes.

Yes, not every student has the aptitude or desire for university work

No, you can't tell high school kids what they can and cannot achieve

don't know

[DrPepper12]

The problem is not telling high school kids what they can and can't have, it's telling their PARENTS! I've taught high school for 20 years and can tell you this "everyone for college" is absolute bullshit!!

Some kids are not made out for academics. There's no shame in that It's just different!! I've had kids who enter trade schools and apprenticeships as well as the military and it was like night and day!! They found themselves and the skills and discipline to build a career.

How and when to track them is a tricky question that I haven't found a satisfactory answer to yet. I really think we need some funding and resources to answer this question or to look outward to what other nations do.

[molonski2]

There needs to be an option C , because assumptions are being made about vocational prep , and this is not true in all cases , some could well tick both boxes and fall in the middle , plus I will bet these schools are rated on University entry percentage , so this skews the numbers also..

Nothing wrong with either , but when looking at small business in the future , say as a builder ( many other things ) you need both , so in my view should not be either or , not all is black white.

One of my wealthiest friends runs his own building company , he used to be a project manager.

[DrPepper12]

Great point. This is not binary but overlaps considerably

[molonski2]

@DrPepper12
We had similar in Australia , technical vocation schools / High Schools , back in these times only around 26% went onto University , I remember one guy ( who ended up a nuclear physicist , or the like ) started off wanting to be a plumber , and the other way round with business degrees for small business , all education for the most part is pretty dam good.

[jennifer_bloom]

Trade school is not suitable for everyone. Some people do not have the height or muscles or precision to do trades without being a danger to themselves or others. One example is, I would not go to trade school because I have poor hand eye coordination.

[katiesmuff]

I don't know, but I think it does have some merit.

[Anonymous]

I d k if this is ‘Sorry!’ or ‘Game of Life’