VPerspective
CTE reform a proven success
Feb 28, 2008 1:03 PM
The definition of reform is to improve, so any real reform must demonstrate tangible improvement. What concerns me is when the phrase “educational reform” is used as the beginning of an attack on public education. Reform for any reason other than student improvement is destructive and divisive.
Currently in our school system, so-called reform is based on achievement levels on test scores. All central funding and support are targeted at building systems that monitor tests, design more tests and teach people how to evaluate tests.
The basis for these changes is the belief that improvement means that students do better on tests. So educators are asked to design and implement all instruction based upon tests. This is a tight, simplistic, easily measured system that is convenient for those who do not truly understand what it means to be in a classroom to help students learn.
The main area that I advocate for as an elected union representative is Career and Technical Education. During the last seven years, there has been a complete change from what was known as vocational education to CTE. It involved redefining what was needed for students to be successful in the world in which they live and establishing systems that involve periodic evaluations to ensure that programs are always rigorous, real and relevant.
The CTE focus is on integrating curricula in systematic ways that had never been tried before and through a collaborative professional development approach to focus on engaging students in those curricula. CTE reform was not mandated by the chancellor or any administrator and, in fact, was mainly the result of the coordinated effort of teachers throughout the city.
During the seven years of reform, CTE has continually been underfunded, has had less and less central support and has received a much larger percentage of high-needs students. A clear recipe for failure was in place; yet to the credit of all involved with CTE, we just kept going forward because of the belief that what we were doing was right and would help children.
There are now two complete high school graduating classes whose performance numbers have been measured since the current schools chancellor assumed the reins. The Department of Education and the State Education Department have different ways of calculating graduation rates, so the DOE’s system shows a 10 percent increase in graduation rates while SED’s system shows a 4 percent increase. But no matter what system is used, the data is significant.
Students who go through CTE sequences graduate at a 16 percent higher rate then those who do not. Furthermore, the New York City student dropout rate is 21 percent, while the CTE student dropout rate is 5 percent.
During these seven years, the average enrollment of students in CTE courses is 107,000 students — nearly one-third of high school students — so the performance data cannot be considered an anomaly. By all measures, CTE reform has improved students’ education and, therefore, afforded students the ability to attain a better life.
The question is, has the testing “reform” done the same? By any measurement of improvement, clearly it has not.
After seven years during which this administration has had complete control — as no other administration has had — the only program to demonstrate proven, significant gains is the one that has not only been ignored but had its support services slowly taken away while receiving less and less funding.
Those of us who have chosen to work as educators in a country where it is a fundamental right of everyone to have access to a free education in order to enjoy a prosperous life understand and embrace this responsibility. We are not afraid of accountability. But when reform is not intended to do what it is supposed to do — improve — and is based on making an ideological or political point, it is dangerous not only to the students we serve but also to the well being of our society.
What I am hopeful about at this time is that the mayor announced in his State of the City address that he plans to expand CTE courses throughout the city. This expansion of CTE would not be happening without the work of the educators who produced the results that the DOE could no longer ignore.
Last May, those of us involved in CTE decided that the UFT would hold a conference to force the DOE to recognize and, hopefully, understand the need to expand CTE in the city. Our Creating Futures conference generated the momentum for reform that would help improve what the students we serve would learn. Many union, business and political leaders participated and all agreed that the CTE programs not only were an educational benefit but also an economic benefit to New York City.
To the credit of all involved they successfully advocated for CTE expansion — and the mayor has now made it a reality.
As this expansion starts, it will be difficult to ensure that the quality of the past work is carried forward. I have been appointed to the task force charged with designing the expansion plan. As always, I will rely on the teachers who are on the frontlines to guide me to do what is best to improve education. Teachers have always been the greatest source of information and inspiration for all that I do.
What I really hope is that the DOE sees the significance of the CTE reform movement. It’s about the classroom and those who choose to be in it. I believe that if you truly want improvement, then you must engage those involved in a real and meaningful way. Without such real engagement you will never have a reform that will truly improve our system.
