Jan 31, 2008 3:17 PM
On another front, there was good news for the school system. We were delighted to hear in the mayor’s recent State of the City address that the DOE would open three new career and technical high schools. It’s been pretty much a secret that New York City CTE schools graduate a higher percentage of young men and women than non-CTE schools while turning out students who are either headed for college or are ready to take on some of the most challenging and high-paying skilled jobs in the community.
So it was a welcome development when Mayor Bloomberg announced that the DOE is setting up a task force to develop the new schools. The task force will be headed by former Mayor David Dinkins and Sy Sternberg, chairman and chief executive of the New York Life Insurance Company, and will include a number of other prominent education and business leaders. Our own Michael Mulgrew, vice president of CTE schools, will serve on the panel. Like his predecessor, Frank Carucci, Mulgrew has championed the revival of CTE schools.
Training a skilled work force is essential to the economic well-being of the state. So we also call upon the Legislature and governor to enact legislation that will tie tax and other subsidies for industries to a requirement that they work with schools to develop and enhance CTE programs. There is a long and impressive track record of achievement when industry partners with CTE programs and this should be nurtured and encouraged. This is not a heavy lift, because companies quickly recognize that by working with the CTE programs they have direct input into training their next generation of employees.
In addition, to overcome a disconnect between the skills training young men and women receive in high school CTE programs and what is available in colleges we urge the Legislature and governor to enact legislation to tie funding for state and city colleges to their coordinating with high school programs. CTE high school graduates should not find that they cannot continue their technical education when they get to college. There must be a continuum of skills training for the students who will play such an important part in the economic health of our city and state.