I am grateful for the opportunity to work in vocational education in Massachusetts. I don’t think there’s any question that our system has a well-deserved reputation as the greatest in the nation. Because of our success, especially during the past few years, vocational education has gained widespread media attention and received harsh, frequently undeserved criticism.
Even if the system is excellent, it could be even better.
Here are three things that could help Massachusetts’ vocational education system either maintain its current high standards or be improved upon:
- Clearly address the tension and misunderstanding between districts with vocational college in Las Vegas and those without. There is a lot of misinformation and misunderstanding. It has to end. Leading the charge is something that the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) can and ought to do. The Massachusetts Association of Vocational Administrators (MAVA), Massachusetts Secondary School Administrators Association (MSSAA), Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents (MASS), Massachusetts Association of School Business Officials (MASBO), Massachusetts Association of Regional Schools (MARS), and Massachusetts Association of School Commit (MASC).
Compel them to speak
DESE should invite these groups to concentrate on educational problems that interest both of them and ask them to come up with answers as a means of bridging the gap between them. The subjects should cover things like paying for the placement of severely disabled pupils outside of the district, preserving the arts and music in public schools, offering STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) instruction, and imparting 21st century skills.
- Demand that high-quality vocational education programs be maintained. Vocational education is governed by Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 74. High standards for program approval are outlined in the legislation and its regulations. No matter the program or how high the political cost, the state must not stray from these high standards. Any other action compromises the state education department’s and the system’s integrity for delivering vocational education.
DESE would be wise to abandon the notion of “provisional” or “conditional” approval of Chapter 74 initiatives in this situation. For many years, the programs’ current standards have been effective. Why modify them? It’s okay if the state wishes to expedite the approval procedure. Simply shift workers to give more people responsibility for reviewing program application submissions. Maintain the high standards.
The state should also specify the conditions under which the Commissioner would consider approving a Chapter 74 program in an academic school district if it directly duplicates an existing program that is already being offered at a regional vocational technical district to which that community belongs. There may be unique situations where approving a duplicate software is necessary. I think those circumstances ought to be quite uncommon.
- Be Extremely Careful With Regulatory Changes. Massachusetts’ vocational education system functions incredibly effectively. Vocational education is governed by laws that have been in effect for a very long time. There may be some minor adjustments that need to be made, but there is in no way a compelling need for a complete overhaul.
This is the rationale behind modern businesses hiring new workers who have successfully completed their vocational educational program and mastered the practical application of newly acquired knowledge. Employers are drawn to these graduates of vocational schools because they have shown initiative in seeking out the training they require, in setting a goal to accomplish that objective, and in following through on that goal by maybe obtaining a degree through vocational schooling. Companies today are not looking for employees who require constant direction and guidance because they already have a large number of those individuals on their employee roster. Instead, they are looking for individuals who can identify the tasks necessary to accomplish a goal and take the necessary initiative and drive to complete them.
Because the vocational model enables the student to concentrate on the area of study, it has an advantage over the more conventional forms of education offered at colleges, universities, and even community colleges. For instance, if you want to earn a paralegal degree or a nurse practitioner certificate, you would concentrate your studies on the courses that will help you learn as much as you can about that field of study rather than having to take courses in geology or 18th century music to meet degree requirements, as is the case at most traditional colleges.
Many vocational schools now provide online vocational training, allowing students to complete their curriculum at their own speed and on their own schedules from the comfort of their homes. Distance learning, often known as online learning, can be a wonderful blessing for those who currently hold a full-time work and care for a family.
If you urgently require learning a new trade, profession, or industry, whether out of necessity o
To its credit, before anything “formal” was proposed, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education invited the Massachusetts Association of Vocational Administrators (MAVA) to discuss potential regulatory changes. As a result, DESE changed its initial stance on a number of problems and postponed its suggested timeline for presenting the suggested adjustments to its board. The case for additional delay and study is particularly stronger in light of the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education’s recent addition of several new members. Massachusetts would be wise to take its time, give professionals time to further discuss these suggested changes, and carefully consider their possible effects.
