The TEA and ISDs have pushed everyone to college and eliminated programs like auto & HVAC. Now the TWC is providing funds to train students in needed blue collar skills.
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Much needed.
I love the idea. Not nearly enough money though.
My initial thoughts as well.
Looking back, was there a single thing that got us on the current path ?
Iâve read some things that point out the No Child Left Behind Act in the 2001/2002 time frame
as the culprit, but not sure. When did shop classes start to get yanked out of high schools in Texas ?
It hasnât been yanked but it might vary from district to district?
My friends son made it clear he was not going to college and his HS in Klein had welding. He finished HS and with in a few months had all his welding certification and 3 years out of HS is making 75k a year as a welder.
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Good for Klein with the welding classes.
Iâm thinking of the old wood shop and metal shop/small engine repair classes. Last two districts we have been in, Tomball and CFISD, donât seem to have them anymore.
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Dwindling enrollment was part of it. Also, state mandates and reduced funding forced districts to make cuts, and low-enrollment programs were easy targets. If there were vo-tech classes, more kids were moving toward IT.
With college costs soaring, the cycle is swinging back. I donât know if itâs feasible for every campus in a district to have these programs, but they could certainly share resources in the same way Ag does it.
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With the amount of money we spend and invest into other countries and people.
It should be feasible for the USA to bring back shop, trade development programs, and hire better educators for our own kids in every school in the US.
I mean heck. We just signed up to give away $95BILLION. But we donât have the money for our own kids.
Iâll stop there.