Associated Builders & Contractors (OVABC) | Springboro, OH
  • Membership
    • Who We Are >
      • History of ABC
      • Chapter Staff/Board
    • Member Benefits
    • Current Members >
      • Discount Programs
      • Group Health Insurance
      • Legal
      • Merit Shop Toolbox
      • Recognition Programs/Awards >
        • Accredited Quality Contractors Program
        • Community Outreach Award
        • Craft Championships
        • Craft Professional Award
        • Legacy Award
        • Safety Awards
        • STEP - Safety
    • Diversity Programs
    • Emerging Leaders
  • Safety
    • Safety Day
    • Classroom Training
    • Online Training
    • Services
    • Best Practices >
      • Downloads
      • Drug & Alcohol Free Pledge
      • STEP Program
      • Certificate Program
  • Training & Jobs
    • Community Outreach >
      • Career Adventure Camp
      • YouthBuild
    • Upcoming Webinars
    • Apprenticeship >
      • Apprenticeship
      • Apprentice Starts Own Business
      • Training Funds
      • Scholarship
    • Custom Training
    • Leadership Forum
    • Management Education
    • Project Management
  • Events
    • Event Calendar
    • ABC Awards Gala
    • Legacy Golf Outing
    • SW Ohio Contractors' Convention
    • Download Calendar
  • Politics & Policy
    • Grassroots Efforts
    • Legislative Agents
    • Merit Shop Philosophy
    • Issues and Endorsements >
      • Opportunity Ohio Valley
      • Project Labor Agreements
      • Davis-Bacon Act
      • Prevailing Wage Reform
      • Labor & Employment
    • Drug Free Workplace
  • Blog
  • Plan Room
  • Construction Executive
  • Contact

Grad Rates - Let's Not Lower the Bar

11/16/2016

2 Comments

 
"By lowering graduation standards to a point that everyone graduates, the state of Ohio has made the high school diploma virtually worthless."
Picture
Some recent articles and headlines have stated that the Ohio Department of Education is already looking to soften its freshly minted new rules for high school graduation (going into effect for the class of 2018 and beyond).  Educators across the state are saying that the new end of course exams (replacing the Ohio Graduation Tests) are too hard and, unless changed, graduation rates will soon fall.  Millennials are already the “everyone gets a trophy” generation; are we now trying to add “everyone gets a diploma”?

As an economist, I’m here to tell you that decreasing the graduation rate in Ohio might actually be a good thing.  Let’s start with the basics.  In general economic terms, when you significantly increase the supply of something, the price and value of the product falls.  By lowering graduation standards to a point that everyone graduates, the state of Ohio has made the high school diploma virtually worthless.  Think if everyone had a new Cadillac - it would be hard to sell one.

Everyone knows there are large numbers of students that should not go to college.  Unfortunately, most educators seem unwilling to differentiate between those ready for college and those who are not – they want to give them all the same diploma.  If the state chooses to maintain its new higher (harder) standard and fewer students graduate, the diploma would mean more, be worth more, and could act as a better indicator of those ready for college. 

Yes, I know it sounds heartless to encouraging creation of a system that graduates less and fails more.  Thankfully, it does not have to be so harsh.  The new graduation requirements already allow for “earning industry credentials” as an alternative pathway to earn a diploma.  This is the perfect option for a student who is not college bound and/or struggles in certain academic areas.  The problem is that most schools are not connected with industries to understand these options and how to connect their students to them.  Therefore, they’d rather just make the academic tests easier.  This does an extreme disservice to the students and the community.

Did you know there is a projected 2 million worker shortage in construction and the average skilled trades person earns over $50,000 per year after only a few years of on-the-job training?  Let’s leave the current new graduation system alone.  Let’s set a high bar for academic performance that becomes a true indicator of college readiness while encouraging our students to consider a wide variety of industry credentials rather than trying to put every student on a “college track”.   There is absolutely nothing wrong with encouraging young people to consider careers in the trades, earning middle class income, without college debt.

For more information go to ovcef.org 
2 Comments
Kenneth Luken
11/17/2016 10:06:49 am

Thanks John,
Very appropriate. We contractors do have great employment opportunities. Being a father of 6 (now ages 18 through 32) I can tell you first hand how cheapened even a college degree has become.

Reply
John Morris link
11/17/2016 04:04:26 pm

Thanks Ken,
The community has seen that “college for all” is not working – we must all do our part to show them the right solution.

Reply

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Author - John Morris, President

    Archives

    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    August 2017
    March 2017
    November 2016
    September 2016
    May 2016
    February 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    March 2015

    Categories

    All
    Best Practices
    Building MAS Skills
    Careers
    Cincinnati Public Schools
    Construction
    Construction Users Roundtable
    Construction Workforce
    Education
    Election
    Governor Kasich
    Levy
    Ohio Valley Construction Education Foundation
    Politics
    Safety
    Skilled Trades
    Vote
    We Build The USA

    RSS Feed

    View my profile on LinkedIn
    View my profile on LinkedIn
© COPYRIGHT 2018
​Ohio Valley Associated Builders and Contractors

33 Greenwood Lane, Springboro, OH 45066
Phone: 1.800.686.6440|  Webmaster


WebLink International, Inc. | Member Management Software | Indianapolis, In