New Hampshire and 16 year old college freshmen

[Deity Dude]

Not sure what that point had to do with this discussion but I am extremely impressed that you knew Calculus in elementary school.

[KrazyHorse]

It has to do with forced streaming. The thought that all students can or should attempt to learn at the same pace is ridiculous.

[Darius871]

Originally posted by KrazyHorse

would be shuffled into programs that guarantee it

There is no forced move. They are self-shuffling.

But they know these kids will jump at the opportunity to get out of that prison called a highschool, especially considering that they're perceived as at-risk for dropping out. They don't need to be forced when they're dying to be released. The net result is we're just plain giving up on them while sending all the white kids off to college. [/sarcasm]

[Deity Dude]

Originally posted by KrazyHorse
This is a choice, not a forced move.

16 is kind of an early age for someone to decide they want to be a plummer and to live with it for the rest of their lives

So instead they should waste two more years of their lives skipping classes and getting into trouble? Maybe go to college for a few semesters and then drop out?

I hope that isn't all junior and seniors in High School do. My son's a freshman.

[Solomwi]

I'm with KH. Two years each of technical school and work experience strikes me as better preparation for a chosen career than two years of high school, splitting time between voc/shop classes the eventual plumber/machinist/etc. is interested in and regular classes holding little interest, then the same two years of technical school or two years of work experience. I'd speculate also that this could free up resources which could be used to better prepare the remaining high school juniors and seniors for their eventual entry into the university system, too, but I may be going a bit too far there.

[KrazyHorse]

I understand that you're simply presenting the knee-jerk bleeding heart response, but I think that by presenting as a choice which opens up worlds of opportunity years earlier to students will go over better than you think.

[KrazyHorse]

Originally posted by Deity Dude


I hope that isn't all junior and seniors in High School do. My son's a freshman.

It isn't. But it is the kids who will take advantage of this choice (I would give the parents veto over this)

[KrazyHorse]

Originally posted by Solomwi
I'm with KH. Two years each of technical school and work experience strikes me as better preparation for a chosen career than two years of high school, splitting time between voc/shop classes the eventual plumber/machinist/etc. is interested in and regular classes holding little interest, then the same two years of technical school or two years of work experience. I'd speculate also that this could free up resources which could be used to better prepare the remaining high school juniors and seniors for their eventual entry into the university system, too, but I may be going a bit too far there.

By the way, I would give the per-student savings to the high-school leaver in the form of a scholarship to the technical school or community college of his choice.

[Solomwi]

Originally posted by KrazyHorse


By the way, I would give the per-student savings to the high-school leaver in the form of a scholarship to the technical school or community college of his choice.

I can see the merit in that, but I don't know enough of the details in NH to know what I'd do with the savings. If tuition is a significant bar to entry for technical/community colleges (just to name one potential scenario), I agree. Otherwise, the knee-jerk bleeding heart reaction gains a bit of merit.

[KrazyHorse]

Why? It immunizes the proposal against charges of attempting to simply move the students off the books like they were liabilities.

[MrFun]

Originally posted by KrazyHorse
If somebody wants to be a machinist or a plumber, say, then I have no idea why you would try to teach them calculus or otherwise have them mark time while they wait to graduate.

There is far too much emphasis on college education compared to technical training. I'd much rather have an electrician certificate than a meaningless arts degree from a third-tier university.

EDIT: syntax was wrong

makes sense

[Deity Dude]

Personally, I think it is all about money. It may work out great, I can see pluses and minuses. But, I don't think it would have been brought up if they weren't looking for a way to save money.

I may be wrong because I haven't looked up NH's budget situation, but I just got a feeling it's about saving money.

[MrFun]

But just because the main motive may be to simply save money with the state's budget doesn't necessary nullify this proposed education plan as a bad idea.

[Deity Dude]

I don't disagree. Same with the lottery and other similar measures.

[MrFun]

okay