Vocational Education Programs
Issue: Empowering & Educating Communities
Target Level of Office: Local
Policy Origin: National Education Association
Link: www.YEONetwork.org/2013policy/?i=247
Summary Narrative of the Policy: This is a report from the National Education Association
containing key findings that examine the job distribution of the U.S. labor force and students’
academic and career paths, and highlights three model high school level vocational education
programs.
Relevant Talking Points & Important Information:
• According to the NEA, while the nation has been emphasizing the importance of students
getting college degrees, it’s equally important to develop policies and programs that
provide more high-quality vocational education in high schools given that more than
two-thirds of the jobs in the nation do not require a Bachelor’s degree.
• Enhanced vocational education at the high school level would provide an accessible,
alternate career path to half of the student population that has chosen not to go to
college.
• Well-developed vocational education programs have the potential to reduce a broad
range of social and economic problems by helping to prevent students from dropping
out and providing them with marketable skills to help secure gainful employment soon
after graduation.
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Local Level
Policy
2014 Book