County seeks to improve secondary education
By Stephanie Bertholdo bertholdo@theacorn.com

Alternative education is making headway at the regional level. The Ventura County Office of Education commissioned a study outlining how high school education must evolve to meet the demands of a diverse global economy and the workplace.

A report on "High Schools for the 21st Century" was presented to superintendents and school board members at the monthly meeting of the Ventura County School Boards Association. The document was developed by the county's High Performing High Schools Commission.

The report determined that high schools continue to operate from an early 20th-century model of education. The commission will release a full report on the study next month.

Charles Weiss, Ventura County superintendent of schools, told guests at a meeting that even though students in county schools perform well on state exams, and many students are accepted to acclaimed colleges, too many college graduates have "sketchy" career plans, and students who drop out of school leave with minimal skills.

High schools must offer rigor and relevance in classes surpassing core academic subjects, the commission concluded. Twentyfirst century skills should include a focus on "global awareness, financial, economic and business and entrepreneurial literacy, civic literacy, and health and wellness awareness," the report said.

"High achieving kids have been asking for relevance," said Roger Rice, commission chair and assistant superintendent of Oxnard Union High School District.

Global competition

Rice also warned that if other nations outpace the United States educationally, the standard of living will drop, the world's investors will take their money elsewhere, and more jobs will be "outsourced"- - offered to other countries where people are willing to work for lower wages.

Rice presented an example of doctors sending MRIs (Magnetic Resonance Imaging scans) to India for interpretation. Labor costs in India are 10 percent of those in the U.S., he said.

A supportive culture

The needs of special education students are also growing rapidly.

"All too often, the students who require the most attention are assigned our least experienced teachers. It is they who deserve our most experienced teachers," the report stated.

Personalized student support was recommended, and smaller "learning communities" within schools, which create a supportive culture. Adults must adjust to students' needs and take responsibility for those who are "struggling and disengaged."

Technical education career courses also were recommended, especially for students who may not be college bound. Web design, computer applications, drafting and other courses would prepare students to enter the workforce.

Magnet schools and smaller academies within the larger high school setting reportedly meet these goals. A student from Santa Susana High School presented his senior project- a video on the six academies offered at the school.

Anna Merriman, assistant superintendent of the Moorpark Unified School District, said she believes students don't feel connected to their schools. "Students will try harder, work longer, when they are supported and assisted by their teachers," she said.

"We are educating an entirely new and different generation of kids commonly referred to as 'millennials,'" Superintendent Tony Knight said. "These kids have grown up digital for one thing, and I'm not sure our schools are well prepared to serve them. I think we could look at offering more in terms of technology, video and film production . . . and other ways to engage our kids.

For a preview of the report, visit the Ventura County Office of Education's website at www.vcoe.org.