Leaders of public schools, colleges, and universities in Louisiana are launching an ambitious program to recreate high schools, end the ‘wasted’ senior year, and better prepare students for college or a career.
The program, called “Fast Forward”, will enable juniors and seniors to spend most of their time earning an associate’s degree to take classes at a community or technical college, a satellite campus run by the state approved or participate in an apprenticeship.
“We know that the starting point of work is now rarely high school,” said Cade Brumley, education supervisor. “The access point of work also requires a qualification, an apprenticeship, an associate’s degree or a professional degree.”
Higher Education Commissioner Kim Hunter Reed said the refurbishment was nothing more than an attempt to rethink what a high school looks like.
“We need it because we need to make high schools more relevant to today’s students,” Reed said. “It could be a real game changer.”
One of the driving forces behind the pressure is the small number of high school students who achieve their own degree while in high school – 159 out of 42,650 graduates in the latest version.
One year after Louisiana’s high school graduation ceremony reached a milestone celebrated by state leaders, the rate dropped, the state …
“It’s not even a third percent,” Brumley remarked.
Louisiana has also long had a low number of students teaching for both high school and university credits – double enrollment – amid problems over how to fund it and make it accessible to students in rural areas.
A state task is expected to approve recommendations on Wednesday aimed at introducing a state-wide system that will ultimately ensure all high school studies …
Barely 1 in 5 high school juniors and seniors followed university classes in the latest score.
At the same time, only 40% of high school seniors take a full course.
Reed said the new options address the issue of the “wasted senior year”.
The plan offers students three options that will drastically change their third and fourth years of high school.
One can allow students pursuing a career and technical education diploma – called Jump Start – to obtain a technical degree on university campuses with courses that also earn them high school credits.
The rebirth of Louisiana’s career and technical education system may become one of the greatest success stories for education in recent years.
Another option is for students who plan to go to study at a four-year university to obtain an associate’s degree that enables them to start at the university as juniors.
With the third way, students can follow an apprenticeship approved by the Louisiana Workforce Commission, which will put them on the road to a real job after high school.
The ninth and tenth grades will remain largely unchanged – students taking academic classes to meet their diploma requirements.
The plan received the approval of the State Council for Elementary and Secondary Education and the Council of Regents.
Last week, the State Department of Education issued a request for applications to begin the effort in eight regions across the state.
Grants of up to $ 50,000 will be awarded to local secondary school systems and higher education officials in each area to map plans and prepare pilot projects.
Education leaders hope students can start with the new options in the next few years.
Officials at the Baton Rouge Area Chamber were involved in the planning.
Liz Smith, vice president of economic competitiveness for BRAC, said the renovation has the added benefit of making better use of community college and technical colleges.
“We just know that our community colleges here in Louisiana are really underutilized,” Smith said. “We use them in different ways, and one of those ways is to double sign up.”
While funding and other major obstacles still exist, members of a state task force said Monday that suitable high school students in Louisiana should have access …
Smith acknowledged that high school students today can achieve their own degrees. “What it does is motivate people to do it actively,” she said.
“If it’s going to make it easier for more kids to access community college programs, to that dual enrollment credit, it’s encouraging adults to do the right thing for students.”
Michael Hecht, president and CEO of Greater New Orleans Inc., said the program could have an impact.
“I think the ‘Fast Forward’ program recognizes what students and businesses in today’s world demand,” Hecht said. ‘Students demand training that will lead to a well-paying job and businesses ask students who have day one skills to be job ready.
“By blurring the boundaries between a high school degree and an associate’s degree, the ‘Fast Forward’ initiative should not just help students get valuable education faster.”
“It should also help our two-year institutions more efficiently and make full use of their resources,” he said.
Monty Sullivan, president of the Louisiana Community and Technical College System, said the changes would increase access to high school courses that include lending.
“Double enrollment has long been considered for smart kids,” Sullivan said. “What’s Fast Forward ‘is an opportunity for all children to access post-secondary education while in high school.”
Approximately 160,000 students are enrolled annually for community and technical colleges. About 8000 take courses for double enrollment.
“The high school’s senior year was almost an afterthought from an academic point of view,” Sullivan said. “It gives students the opportunity to really participate in the senior year and make progress.”
He added: ‘A high school diploma will simply not make you survive in this country. The new standard in this country has some skills outside of high school. ‘