Earlier this year, Greg Toppo at The 74 reported on a survey by Populace that showed Americans see career preparation as a more important priority for K-12 schools than college preparation. When asked to rank a series of 57 priorities for public school, respondents placed college preparation at number 47, down from number 10 in 2019. And career preparation rose from number 27 in 2019 to number 6 in 2022.
Given these findings, it seems that the career and technical education (CTE) programs that used to be on the fringes of our schools must become more central. In many places, they already are. CTE programs no longer focus solely on getting students ready to go immediately into the workforce. Many include opportunities for students to explore careers that require a college education. (PDK International’s own Educators Rising program is one such offering.)
When we asked our Educators Rising students what role K-12 schools should play in preparing them for their future careers, several noted that these programs should give students a chance to try out a career option, before they spend thousands of dollars on a degree in a field that isn’t right for them. Matt Giani writes in this month’s Kappan that a majority of Texas students who earned industry-recognized credentials did not end up working or studying in fields related to those credentials. How many of these students realized, after spending time in a health care clinic or auto shop, that they didn’t want to spend years of their lives there?
My initial reaction to the disconnect between certifications earned and students’ ultimate choices was to wonder if these programs are the best use of our schools’ time and resources. And maybe the certifications themselves aren’t valuable to many students. But I also wonder if CTE programs should be less about preparing students for a particular career than about preparing them for careers in general.
Shaun Dougherty’s research finds that certain kinds of CTE programs, especially whole-school models, do contribute to positive outcomes for students. Research is still emerging, but I was interested to see that improved high school graduation rates was one positive outcome that appears in multiple studies. The kinds of hands-on learning offered in CTE might keep students engaged in a way that purely academic learning does not.
Perhaps this is the key to CTE’s value, too. These classes give students opportunities to create something tangible, to see the results of their work. It’s not just about doing something fun. It’s about learning to strive for something, whether it’s a beautiful hairstyle or a straight and sturdy wall.
In both 2019 and 2022, respondents to the Populace survey ranked helping students develop practical skills as the top priority for K-12 schools. Also highly ranked (No. 4 in 2019 and No. 2 in 2022) is the ability to think critically, problem solve, and make decisions. These skills matter in an endless number of careers. And, for many students, CTE programs could be an ideal place to build them.
Reference
Toppo, G. (2023, January 17). Irked by skyrocketing costs, fewer Americans see K-12 as route to higher ed. The 74.
This article appears in the March 2023 issue of Kappan, Vol. 104, No. 6, p. 4.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Teresa Preston
Teresa Preston is an editorial consultant and the former editor-in-chief of Phi Delta Kappan and director of publications for PDK International, Arlington, VA.
Visit their website at: https://prestoneditorial.com/
