Quote:
Originally Posted by LWJ
As the parent of TAG kids and a special ed kid, I am a cynic.
My experience shows that most schools do an ok job on the 80% in the middle and poor on both ends.
I am a huge advocate for trade schools and technical education. That is a no-brainer.
Makes me wonder if the non-AP school kids will get the short stick?
Apologies for my negativity. Education is such a big deal.
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According to my little sis. We have always had AP courses (of course). The problem was that not every school offered each AP course. We had 4 middle schools and 3 high schools. We will now have 3 middle schools, 3 high schools, and one AP/tech school. Students at Lawton High missed out on A P courses that we offered only at Eisenhower High. And vice versa. Also, it will add curriculum. The sign language course for example (just one of many). There weren't enough students at one school to make it a viable course. Combine the schools and there are enough students to make it effective.
We also always had a relationship with the local vo tech. That is just being expanded.
It is a massive change for the better. More AP. More courses. More slots available. A much closer tie in between the local schools, vo tech, university, Ft Sill, and the communications opportunity of the high school/local tv/local newspaper.
The Ft Sill tie in is the FISTA (Fires Innovation Science and Technology Accelerator) which is part of the US military Cross-Functional Team initiative and it is a win/win. FISTA brings government contractors into one space.(Dillards and Sears in the city owned mall), uses the resources of the Vo Tech and university who are also on board, and gives real world experience to high school students in high tech fields. Currently, the city claims they have at least 6 military contractors signed up to use the mall space. The mall space is currently being renovated for use. We paid about 12 million for the entire mall. Spending a couple of mill of the Sears/Dillards renovations. And we get rent from the contractors, rent from current mall stores, and federal money for being part of the Cross Functional Team initiatives.
We have gone all in. There is a hell of a lot of student opportunity within various methods of schooling that we never had in the past. Especially for city of only 100,000 population.
I think it is a spectacular effort to give kids many career choices and opportunities. Want high tech. It is there. Want vo tech. It is there. Want media/communications. It is there. Want real work experience. It is there. Want free college credits. It is there.
Little sis has been keeping me up to date on the changes. She was last year district teacher of the year and is up for state teacher of the year this year (plug for little sis). She is really excited about the changes. She feels this opens up far more courses to far more students.
Those that missed my earlier thread on the FISTA. Lawton/Ft Sill is the Long-range precision fires (LRP) cross funtional. group. They are looking to the future.
https://www.army.mil/article/227832/from_the_big_five_to_cross_functional_teams_integr ating_sustainment_into_modernization