Question:
I am developing an opinion survey for high school students. Is anyone on this list willing to give this survey to their students, and report the results?
Survey:
“Upon entering the 9th grade, students will be offered a variety of college preparation and vocational training choices. The courses and training required to complete each of the two programs are listed below. Students may change programs at any time, but will be required to complete one or the other to receive a Diploma or a Certificate of Completion. Which choice would you prefer?”
Choice A: Upon successful completion of the Choice A program, you will receive a high school diploma. This diploma will qualify you to apply for admission to any Community College or University. A University degree may qualify you for a professional carreer position with a salary range of $20,000 to $200,000, or more.. Some employers may require a high school diploma for some positions with entry level salaries in the range of $12,000 to $20,000 per annum.
Choice B: Upon completion of a Choice B training program, a Certificate of Completion will be given for all successfully completed training. Students who pass the GED test will be awarded a high school diploma.
Vocational - Technical training will include one or more of the following career paths. Listed are the average annual income of experienced workers in each of these vocations. This list is not complete, other training will be offered upon request. Some of these fields may require a GED certificate.
Answer:
What makes you think that the students in "vocational" programs aren't going to college?. Many of these areas would require some post-secondary education.
I chose these programs because neither a BA nor a BS is strictly required. If by "post-secondary" you are referring to Community College level training, my study and experience has led me to conclude that there is very, very little being taught in Community College programs that could not be taught at the high school level. The only exceptions that I know of are age related (law enforcement), or, programs which may require specialized equipment not widely available in high schools (nursing, dental technician, etc.).
At some point it might be worth considering an integrated high school - adult education curriculum. A young adult could routinely re-enter such a program at age 20 or 24, and obtain a basic diploma, additional vocational training, or an academic college prep diploma. A more flexible secondary education system could aid in overcoming environmental, psychological or financial constrains which might delay a child's readiness for a vocational-technical or academic experience.
