Tech Directions - March 2009 - (Page 8) cess to college depended heavily on students’ ability to pay for it. Affluent students were twice as likely as low-income students to complete a degree within six years. High school grades also had a significant impact on college outcomes. More than half of students with an A average in high school who attended college within two years of graduation received a B.A. or graduate degree, while 82 percent of C students who entered college within two years did not earn any credential. The higher the credential, the more students earned. Students who earned a certificate had median earnings 27 percent higher than those with no college credential, but students with just an associate degree had median earnings only 8 percent better than those with no credentials. Also, students who earned a C average in high school were only slightly less likely than A students to earn a credential in a health-related or other higher-paying fields. Renewed Role for CTE in Chicago The nation’s third-largest urban school system, which gave the Obama Administration its new Secretary of Education, is taking another look at the advantages of career and technical education. The Chicago Public Schools have primarily focused on getting students ready for college, just like most school systems in the country. Since 2004, the number of students enrolled in CTE classes has declined 18 percent, but there are signs that school officials believe CTE should make a comeback. A recent issue of Catalyst, a publication on education reforms in Chicago, focused on a renewed role for CTE. Former Superintendent Arne Duncan’s big reform initiative, Renaissance 2010, includes two schools that have been reconstituted with strong programs in high-tech manufacturing and the construction trades. Four more career-prep schools will open within the next two years. The school system has created a new Department of College and Career Preparation, and the mayor is bringing together employers and other stakeholders to work on school-to-work transitions. For the rest of this item, visit www.techdirections.com/w033.html. Call to Expand Career Academies Among the many recommendations for education policy and programs received by the Obama Administration is one from the reputable MDRC research organization—expand career academies. MDRC followed strict research criteria in its long-term study of career academies and is promoting this high school reform as a major successful intervention for low-income students, especially black males. Its research found that the earnings boost from graduating from a high school career academy was equivalent to what two years of college would provide. For the rest of this item, visit www.techdirections.com/w032.html. For the rest of this item, visit www.techdirections.com/w034.html. 8 techdirections ◆ MARCH 2009 http://www.techdirections.com/w033.html http://www.techdirections.com/w032.html http://www.techdirections.com/w034.html http://www.elexp.com http://www.elexp.com http://www.shop-pitsco.com http://www.shop-pitsco.com http://www.elexp.com
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