My wife teaches physics at our local HS, also the HS where my two children attended now seven years back for our youngest. Anyway, we have seen the HS change its curriculum many times over the years of my wife's employment. What has happened is that the 'shop' classes that many on this forum remember from our years in HS are no more. They have been displaced by weight rooms for the athletes, computer labs, etc.
When I attended HS in the 1980's our HS had wood shop, auto shop, culinary arts, etc. The students that attended the vocational school were those who either weren't interested in or weren't cut out for college, or were focused on a trade...usually because of a family member or friend in the business. I can remember a buddy of mine who was focused on industrial refrigeration and has been in that business since.
The programs at our local vocational school are highly competitive and many students get shut out of the programs. This leaves some kids SOL if they're not college prep students and also can't get into the regional trade schools.
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Originally Posted by kevingross
You make an interesting and important point. In my town (in MA) and the surrounding area, they has been strong upward trend in enrollment by high schoolers in vocational schools, for us Minuteman HS in Lexington. Strong to the point that there are fewer available openings for kids from towns outside the district. I agree that parents' influence plays a strong role, as does support and culture from the non-voc school system. I cringe every time I hear about parents unwilling to crush their kid's dream by telling them they won't take a second mortgage so the kid can study fine arts.
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