Mary Alice McCarthy, senior policy analyst for the Education Policy Program at New America relates how antiquated policy is hindering the overall vital pathway between CTE and bachelor degrees.
In “Too Many Higher Education On-Ramps lead to Dead-Ends,” McCarthy writes:
“Forcing students to choose between programs that will either help them pick up valuable skills in the short-term or lead to valuable credentials in the long-term does not make sense. But our higher education system is surprisingly unfriendly to efforts to connect academic and vocational pathways below the bachelor’s degree. This resistance to creating more pathways to the BA is one of the least appreciated factors driving our stubbornly low degree attainment rates: we have too many entry points into higher education that are dead-ends.
It does not have to be this way. Vocational education does not have to be terminal. In fact, the best vocational systems in Europe provide a series of connected programs that start in high school but can lead to advanced degrees. A number of countries are building out “higher vocational” sectors, with polytechnic or applied universities and degree programs that provide opportunities for advancement for those who started their education on vocational tracks.”
Read both authors’ full essays here: http://www.ecampusnews.com/symposium/
And be sure to catch our upcoming Symposium at the end of May, which discusses whether or not standardized assessments can work to higher education’s advantage. Simply click on the Symposium link above.
Have a higher ed topic you believe would make for a great Symposium discussion? Email me at mstansbury@ecampusnews.com.
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