Higher-Ed Czar: Balance Academics, Job Training
In light of recent calls for a greater emphasis on vocational training in post-secondary education, Texas Higher Education Commissioner Raymund Paredes discussed with reporters today the need for students seeking vocational education to also get a “solid academic foundation."
Too strict an emphasis on trade skills is “short-sighted” and limits job prospects, Paredes said during a conference call.
Although liberal arts graduates may have trouble finding a job out the gate, Paredes said, their diverse skill-sets help ensure that they eventually get work. Students locked into a trade are harder-pressed to find work if no one in their field is ...
Comments (8)
Kathy Kilmer Moak via Texas Tribune on Facebook
There is a need for both. Balance - It's what Texas needs.
Debbie Spencer via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Exactly, Kathy. For years they let the kids who weren't college bound fall through the cracks and now they want to shackle the kids who can get into college despite what our public schools have done to them.
Ken Collier via Texas Tribune on Facebook
If we need to find a "better balance" why doesn't Paredes offer suggestions of how to get there?
Tim Tukaram Spotswood via Texas Tribune on Facebook
First we need to actually get some of these kids graduating High School! We need to get rid of the TAKS/TAAS/STAAR/Whatever the fuck they want to call it this year and go back to teaching!
Frances Demps via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Tim, you are so right. I teach middle school, and we just wasted an entire WEEK on testing. In two weeks we're going to devote another two days to the ridiculous STAAR.
Texas Parents Opt Out of State Tests via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Disgusted with all of this wasteful, useless testing? Exercise your rights and opt out. Chapter 26 of the Texas Education Code gives parents the right to opt their child out of any activity that the parent feels is immoral or against their religious beliefs. High-stakes testing is immoral.
Juan Reynoso
The problem on education, is the system; the solution is simple but it is not in the best interest of the politicians. Here in Texas we must close the School Boards and establish a local system of education. Charters schools, private and home schooling are doing a better job on educating than public schools. We paid for the education of illegal aliens and cost millions of Dollars to the Texans taxpayers and this corrupt system have the guts to ask the taxpayers for more money, while our kids are being hold back because the illegal students can not keep up on the classes; on a average year, not grade level is able to finish the year curriculum and not one is doing any thing about this issue. We have an education crisis, but we just don't have the courage to tell what is going on, Parents are keep ignorant and teachers are afraid to speak up.
Corruption must be expose, if we want changes and get our country on the right path.
Audrey Fisher via Texas Tribune on Facebook
While I agree that too much time on learning how to take / pass a test is a waste of money - WHO set the rules: Perry, et al. The ORG whine above - is not for public education, period. Teaching today should be sufficiently broad based so that students don't get pigeon-holed into today's technology. We need to teach Students how to think and reason, not how to take and pass a test. Then they will have the tools for the future!