What If I Told You The Regional Model Isn’t About Advanced Academics?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:With the cost of some of these colleges these days - doesn’t it make sense to try and direct some kids towards other career choices? I respect the hell out of electricians and plumbers - much more so than people in “policy” that got a degree from a private uni

No! The school’s job is not to direct kids towards a career path. It is to provide a high quality education with exposure to the many career fields out there and then listen to the kid and family as they select a career. This mean that being a plumber should be celebrated just a much as being a teacher just as much as being a doctor. All are needed in society.

A good plumber will go to college or get an AA degree in business to know how to run a business well.

Hey good 18 year old plumber - here are your options: a) start working immediately and make really good money or b) spend around 100k and 4 years to get a “degree” to make you a “good business owner”

Only ivory tower types would really think this way. It is a good idea to encourage career ideas that don’t involve crippling student debt mixed with non transferable skills

[Anonymous]

I think we have several issues/concerns here and we shouldn't mix them up but should press MCPS to consider or clarify along the way of designing and modifying the regional model (of course CO will ignore any inputs, but at least from parents' and community stakeholders' sides, we should be more clear about the answers to ourselves to make informed decisions for our children):

(1) What programs in the new regional model are career oriented? From my understanding the "medical science and health care", "leadership and public service", "education" and "arts" should be more or less more career-oriented but it's not clear right now.

(2) Will MCPS offer certificates to these career-oriented programs? What are the state or whatever requirements (e.g., minimal specialized courses or credits) in order to grant certificates? Will MCPS offer these required courses and opportunities in these programs? Do MCPS have enough specialized teachers in these subjects and if not, what are the plans for talent recruitment?

(3) Will MCPS provide basic courses in these career-oriented programs? For example, MCPS promised to make Calc BC as basic math course for every HS. Are students in these career-oriented programs also being able to take those courses? We should be clear that although kids can decide at HS that they want to become a plumber, they should still be able to receive equal education opportunities in order to be a highly-skilled plumber (like at least learning some general physics) and in order to be able to switch majors if they in the future find they don't want to be a plumber.

[Anonymous]

I'm not sure what the thinking is behind bussing to another high school for a career preparation program. How many classes are involved in these education or leadership programs? And how many 8th graders have decided on a career path?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:With the cost of some of these colleges these days - doesn’t it make sense to try and direct some kids towards other career choices? I respect the hell out of electricians and plumbers - much more so than people in “policy” that got a degree from a private uni

Kids should not be forced to do this just because the blueprint has an arbitrary goal.

Bingo.

MCPS could be building up job-training pathways based on what students and families want, so they could reach that benchmark due to voluntary enrollment in high-demand pathways. They should have asked “what professional certifications would you like access to” or “what careers paths would you like to explore in high school” and proposed programs based on that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think we have several issues/concerns here and we shouldn't mix them up but should press MCPS to consider or clarify along the way of designing and modifying the regional model (of course CO will ignore any inputs, but at least from parents' and community stakeholders' sides, we should be more clear about the answers to ourselves to make informed decisions for our children):

(1) What programs in the new regional model are career oriented? From my understanding the "medical science and health care", "leadership and public service", "education" and "arts" should be more or less more career-oriented but it's not clear right now.

(2) Will MCPS offer certificates to these career-oriented programs? What are the state or whatever requirements (e.g., minimal specialized courses or credits) in order to grant certificates? Will MCPS offer these required courses and opportunities in these programs? Do MCPS have enough specialized teachers in these subjects and if not, what are the plans for talent recruitment?

(3) Will MCPS provide basic courses in these career-oriented programs? For example, MCPS promised to make Calc BC as basic math course for every HS. Are students in these career-oriented programs also being able to take those courses? We should be clear that although kids can decide at HS that they want to become a plumber, they should still be able to receive equal education opportunities in order to be a highly-skilled plumber (like at least learning some general physics) and in order to be able to switch majors if they in the future find they don't want to be a plumber.

The arts programs are NOT career oriented. Just look at true criteria based performing arts programs like Duke Ellington. Kids are working towards auditioning into a good college program, not going directly into careers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm not sure what the thinking is behind bussing to another high school for a career preparation program. How many classes are involved in these education or leadership programs? And how many 8th graders have decided on a career path?

MCPS already does this. They have 3 regions for CTE program. This is what they should have done for their faux fancy programs like IB and CAPS. Someone posted a map months ago.

[Anonymous]

Just to follow-up on OP’s original post: I think you are absolutely correct. MCPS use the name “academic program analysis” and “increase equitable access to academic rigorous programs” to cover up their intention to LURE students to select CTE programs. I saw some sneak peak of more sample curricula today and OP is absolutely correct.

For people who are expecting more enrichment opportunities and academic rigors, don’t believe a single word from CO presenters’ mouth.