Issue Position: Recommitting to Career and Technical Education

Issue Position

Our world is becoming more complex, more technical, and more specialized. Yet, we have seen a steady deterioration of technical education programs in our schools. You and I had the benefit of wood shops, metal shops, and a host of other technical options. Sadly, our need for "higher education for all" has been morphed into "university for all". This has narrowed the offerings of our high schools. It has forced too many kids into traditional lecture and listen courses when their learning style is often more hands-on. This has taken a toll, especially among boys who drop out of high school at a 25% higher rate than girls. Boys make up just 40% of higher education enrollments. Hands-on learners often don't see themselves as successful in our schools, this leads to dropouts and substantial harm to our economy. Every student that drops out loses at least $370,000 in lifetime income. These same folks struggle in life and they cost tax payers, on average, an additional $292,000 in social services, healthcare, and criminal justice costs. WE ALL HAVE A STAKE IN GETTING EVERY STUDENT GRADUATED!

As Superintendent, I will work tirelessly to ensure that every student has a pathway to graduation. This does not mean lower standards -- the carpenter still needs geometry; the welder still needs chemistry. I will work hard to restore capital budget funds to ensure our schools and skills centers have the highest quality programs and equipment to meet the needs of tomorrow's workforce. Yes, Boeing needs thousands of engineers but they also need 50,000 machinists! There is a place in this economy for anybody willing to work hard.

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