By MICHAEL A. SMITH
Insight Kansas
With the election of three new members this year, the Kansas State Board of Education is expected to shift more conservative on issues like the recognition of Trans students, books in the school library, and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs. Yet for all the publicity these issues receive, they do not really capture what the Kansas School Board does most of the time.
There seems to be a bipartisan near-consensus behind the “career readiness” focus in schools. Such a focus undoubtedly has its advantages, but today it has become single-minded. Career readiness is crowding out vital civic education and extracurricular activities, to the detriment of students.
It started out well. Curricula like the Olathe School District’s 21st Century programs have been designed to keep students focused, connecting their coursework to intended careers. These programs offer internships and other opportunities so students can make connections and experience a typical workday in their intended field. Such programs can be useful, keeping students motivated and equipping them with valuable skills.
Unfortunately, today, things are running off the rails. Consider college preparation. Not all students wish to attend college, and they should not be pressured to do so. Yet many do set their sights on college, and today’s high school environment bombards them with opportunities–and expectations–to take college courses while still in high school. These include Advanced Placement (AP) courses, in which students prepare for standardized tests, and dual enrollment courses, in which the high school teacher is also an adjunct faculty member at a local community college or university. Another option is Early College Admission (ECA), in which students are bussed from high school to an area college or university. Cramming in as many of these early college courses as possible displaces vital high school experiences like civic education and extracurricular activities. With students’ anxiety already running sky-high, adding this additional pressure only makes things worse, throwing the students’ lives out of balance and crowding out opportunities to do things they enjoy, like sports, debate, and drama. It also limits their opportunities to make friends face to face, so they turn to social media instead. Meanwhile, history and government classes keep getting cut while our civic culture lies in tatters. Today, many high school graduates struggle to distinguish between reliable sources of information and baseless conspiracy theories. Is it worth it?
Consider a future teacher who completes two full years of college courses while still in high school. They sail through college in only two years and hit the job market… at 20 years old. Can any Kansan seriously say that a 20 year old teacher who cannot even legally buy alcohol is emotionally ready to teach high school students only two or three years younger? Such nonsense is exactly what the Kansas School Board has been encouraging lately.
Remember, college-bound students can always take their university credits when they get to college. The best thing high school can do is send them there well-prepared and genuinely excited about the college experience. Students choosing non-college career paths also deserve this preparation, since they, too, will need additional training or schooling beyond high school.
In the latest Kansas Speaks poll, 47.8% of respondents agreed that the primary purpose of higher education is to produce an educated citizenry, versus only 32.9% who believed that the primary goal was workforce readiness, with others remaining neutral or undecided.
Kansans get it. The question is, will the new Kansas School Board listen?