High school graduation requirements

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I think there are classes that should be graduation requirements for all high schoolers. Core academics are important, but so are life skills such as budgeting and driving. I think students should have to take a financial education course, drivers Ed, and sex Ed. Trades courses should be available for students that don't want to do the traditional college route. What do you guys think?

I just wondered what types of classes you guys think would have helped you better prepare for the adult world. I wish I could have had a better driver's Ed program. The one they had was a nine week class where half the time was spent on book work and the other half was spent driving on a really tiny driving course in the back of the school parking lot. I would have liked to actually go out on the road to drive.

Financial, maybe CPR and swimming. I would say yes... But not everyone wants to drive or should. Some parents don't want someone else to teach their children (High School, is still minors) about sex. It maybe religious or just personal. Some high schools offer trade programs (really aren't worth anything in the real world), but most cities and medium size towns have a proper trade school that is cheap, most would go for free via grants. These schools have certifications and usually job placement.

I don't think that system would work in the States, or at least not on a broad scale. Apart from sex ed, which would definitely face a lot of backlash from parents with religion-based preferences (the South might secede all over again ), driver's ed is not something that every student needs. People in large cities will more often take public transport, for example, and Americans aren't buying cars very often anymore with the rise of services like Uber and Lift. As for trade courses, there's a reason so many schools are cutting back on it these days. Economists have been saying for a while that, unless we push more young Americans towards higher-level degrees, the US is going to fall behind in the global competition. That's not to say that trades are irrelevant. They are and will continue to be an important part of any economic force, but college education has to become the norm if we're to keep up. Financial education, though, I can get behind.

It's all about the $. Public schools don't have enough anymore for extra programs, including required classes like phys ed and arts. Charter schools are run like businesses. Private schools are all different, but only a few can actually afford it. Core classes have standardized tests which make data to make politicians happy, and make money for testing companies (who have the means to lobby). Higher ups in school districts are so far removed from the students, a lot have never actually been teachers, so they don't actually know what is in the best interests of the students. Classes like wood shop are expensive and have too many liability issues for supervisors despite their enormous value to prepare students who do not want college for successful trade careers.

Elaine has the right idea. Not everyone belongs in college. Trades are important. Anyone ever call a history teacher to fix your plumbing or car?

Beef up the college prep classes for those with the aptitude. Have vocations for the hands on person. Does this cost money? It costs more to not do it.

Put that in y'all's pipe and smoke it.

I guess that's too hard for some people to get.....lol

Exactly. There are a lot of well paid, well respected trade positions that are a much better fit for a lot of people, but the data factor has schools pushing everyone into college. Then these people who could be set in a career instead have to continue struggling academically and often end up dropping out or don't learn anything that will lead to the right career for them.

You can thank the Obama administration for the lack of attention to trade school vocations. His aim coming into office was to raise the rate of students entering college to 60%. He was ambitious, and he failed, but some results can be found in the further degradation of trade courses. Regardless of what options should be available to non-academic students, though, we certainly do need more college graduates. Other countries have much higher rates and are doing better economically as a result. We're already playing catch-up. That said, I don't think we need to remove the option of vocational studies from high schools, which can only be detrimental to the students who need that option in lieu of academic pursuits. There should be a balance, hopefully including the steady rise of college attendance. Have you looked at the Finland public school system? It might be similar to what you'd like, and it certainly works for them.