WATCH: Why "college prep" isn't enough

University of Washington faculty member Thomas Halverson discussed the need to create alternative career pathways for students beyond "college prep" during a recent YouTube Live chat.

Halverson, director of the Master’s in Education Policy program at the UW, wrote about the need to better serve the majority of high school students who won't enter traditional 4-year college degree programs in an essay in the most recent edition of the College of Education’s Research That Matters magazine.

“We need to let go of the myth that the current system works for most high school students and recognize that we are failing to prepare a majority of the young people in our state to lead their best lives,” Halverson wrote.

During the chat, Halverson noted that taking career and technical education (CTE) courses in high school can improve the odds of graduation, boost a student’s chances of taking advanced math and science coursework, and increase their earnings immediately after high school. At the same time, he said that businesses and other organizations can take a more significant role in creating programs that support students in their career preparation and advancement.

Contact

Dustin Wunderlich, Director of Marketing and Communications
206-543-1035, dwunder@uw.edu