Bill seeks career-track courses for Miss. students

Local News

March 9, 2010

Associated Press Associated Press Tue Mar 09, 2010, 08:38 AM CST

JACKSON — High school students who don’t want to go to college would have an option to pursue career-track studies under a bill being considered in the Mississippi Legislature.

The House bill up for debate this week in the Senate outlines 20 course unit requirements for the so-called career track curriculum. Students who choose to go that route would still have to earn four units of English and at least three in math and three in science.

“We’re not trying to dummy-down the curriculum,” said House Education Committee Chairman Cecil Brown, D-Jackson. “The whole (educational) system is focused on trying to move kids in a path to get a four-year degree in college, but a number of kids don’t want to do that.”

It’s a concept that’s been discussed for a while.

Gov. Haley Barbour has said not all public school students should be encouraged to go to college if they’re not interested in pursuing a four-year degree. Some school districts already offer such curricula under the state Department of Education’s high school redesign program, which is still being expanded.

Senate Education Committee Chairman Videt Carmichael said he’s hoping the changes could reduce the state’s 16 percent dropout rate. He said students often drop out of school because they’re bored, and not necessarily because the coursework is too difficult.

“We’re talking about courses that are rigorous, but relevant to careers,” said Carmichael, R-Meridian.

For instance, some English classes in the career track might focus on reading and analyzing report or technical writing, he said.

The bill would allow local school boards, the state College Board and the state Board for Community and Junior Colleges to establish a dual enrollment system. The legislation allows a student to have a dual enrollment in a community or technical college or participate in an internship or work study program. The student also must have at least four credits in career and technical education courses.

Eric Clark, executive director of the state Board of Community and Junior Colleges, said initially there were some concerns about the bill. However, he said, the House made a few changes, including inserting language to show his board and the state College Board could recommend admission requirements for dual enrollment programs.

“We were concerned that what you would have is people who would graduate high school with lower standards than they would be required to meet now,” Clark said. “The bill that passed on the House floor is significantly better than the bill that was introduced.”

Mississippi isn’t the only state moving toward career paths in high schools. Louisiana began offering a career diploma in 2009. The diploma is for students who pursue a curriculum that emphasizes career and technical classes. It is supposed to prepare them for a job or a technical or community school.

Carmichael said there would only be one diploma in Mississippi, but different ways to obtain it.

The bill is House Bill 1210.

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