VOCATIONAL EDUCATION

By Norman V. Lee

This is a high priority in our community.

• Initiating a program to help valley employers gain skilled employees through vocational education.
• Initiate a program to reduce the dropout rate through vocational education.

• Launch a task force by bringing the Chamber, high school districts, the Stanislaus County Office of Education (SCOE), and Modesto Junior College together to research the feasibility of establishing a charter school for this purpose.
• As an example, the charter school could prepare students for employment in the following fields/trades:
  1.Business
  2.Electrical
  3.Carpentry
  4.Tile
  5.Drywall
  6.Auto repair and body

The possibilities are limitless

Challenge:

• Explore the development of a charter school that would serve multiple districts, reimburse their revenue generated by each school's Average Daily Attendance (ADA), fulfill graduation requirements, and prepare students for college or skilled, entry-level jobs.
• I believe the resources and tools to accomplish this task are already available. Working together we could utilize the resources of the business community and incorporate vocational curriculum, teaching strategies, and best practices from the education community.