Is The School-to-Work Program
Something for Home Schoolers?
By MARGARET DRYE
It's no secret that American businesses are becoming increasingly dismayed
with the quality of workers they are getting from our public school system.
In Sullivan County, a planner reported the results of a survey that showed
that only four percent of the employers were satisfied with the quality
of the NH work force.
One of the proposed solutions to this dilemma is the School-to-Work (STW)
program. In New Hampshire, the state has spent $85-$100 million in the last
few years to build technical schools in conjunction with high schools around
the state. Maybe there is one in your area. This was in preparation for
the state's application for $18 million in federal grant money. The state
got $12.5 million, not $18 million for "seed" money for the program
in NH for the next five years.
The idea behind School-to-Work is to start incorporating the business world
into education from kindergarten on by exposing student to career options
and aiming them toward paid work experience in conjunction with their secondary
education. The state is divided into six regions and each region is responsible
for setting up its own program incorporating area businesses. In the 10th
grade, students will demonstrate achievement against a set of criteria to
earn a portable Certificate of Proficiency. In 11th and 12th grades they
will incorporate "apprenticeships" with continuing education in
an individualized career plan organized around one of five "career
clusters" (currently under consideration).
Is this program something home schoolers can/should participate in?
Before we answer, we need to look at what the grant says.
Page One says "School-to-Work in New Hampshire is NOT a program, it
is NOT Tech Prep and it is NOT vocational education. School-to-Work in New
Hampshire IS a fully integrated systemic reform strategy that is designed
to raise the academic and technical skill standards of ALL STUDENTS in order
that they may secure for themselves productive and rewarding lives as contributing
members of society (emphasis theirs).
Does all students mean home schooler, too?
Both the governor's office and the STW team say that they want to include
home schoolers, but that the program is strictly voluntary. However, let
me point out again that the grant does not say "all interested students,
but "ALL STUDENTS."
Here are some problems with the program as it now stands.
1) There is no program yet to be signed on to; it is all in the design stage.
Knowing that some home schoolers would not like working with the local school
system, one idea might be to let them work with the STW office instead,
or even directly with the local Chamber of Commerce. However, those kind
of programs will only be set up when there are home schoolers willing to
participate, thus putting us in a Catch-22 situation of having nothing to
sign on to unless we sign on to something.
2) It is easy for a program to turn from voluntary to coercive. Look at
the example of kindergarten in NH. First there were no laws and people fended
for themselves. Then there was "enabling" legislation that towns
could voluntarily participate in, and in the near future it will be mandated
as soon as there are funds for it.
3) There is always the danger that curriculum will become industry driven
and that emphasis will be on passing proficiency tests, not learning. There
is also the possibility of one day requiring students to have mastery certificates
to find a job.
The US Congress was concerned enough about that possibility to add this
amendment to HR 1617 (an education bill): "Nothing in this act shall
mandate that any individual...be required to choose a specific career path,
major, or meet federally funded or endorsed industry recognized skill standards
or attain federally funded or endorsed skill certificates." (Note:
the amendment passed, but the bill has not yet been passed).
There is nothing wrong with preparing for the world of work. However, home
schoolers as a group have rejected one of the largest free government programs
going (public education) and have done quite well, thank you. Why should
we embrace another one? Knowing that one size doesn't fit all in education.
why not press for the ability to set up our own apprenticeships as we do
our own schools? Changes in child labor laws, apprenticeship regulations
and school choice laws would go just as far in preparing children for work,
but without the added bureaucracy, the additional cost, and the danger of
government control of the labor market and the business industry.
Margaret Drye is a wife, mother, emergency medical technician (EMT),
and home schools six children (their youngest, Ben, is one). One of the
children, Melissa, was the 1994 NH Spelling Bee Champion. She is a participant
in the 1995-95 Leadership New Hampshire Program. Margaret, Rob, and the
family reside in Plainfield, NH.
Is The School-to-Work Program