Every student should have career readiness built into their education, regardless of their post-secondary path. The ability to critically think and effectively communicate is a positive indicator of success in any post-secondary career path.
Traditional 4-year college is a requirement for well over half of the fastest growing job types in the United States, https://www.bls.gov/ooh/fastest-growing.htm, so it cannot be ignored as an indicator in schools, but it must be balanced with strong Vocational programs as well.

I believe that preparing our children for a college or career path is the fundamental job of the school system. I also believe it is an area that we need to strengthen. Over the years I have seen my kids and their friends struggle at the upper grades. I think we need to take a look at the guidance/ support system that is in place at the upper levels and make sure our kids have the support they need. College/ career path discussions need to happen earlier in the process. Kids need to have a game plan or road map for their future success and I believe that guidance is a key part of that puzzle. We need to make sure that the kids are engaged early, and that there is a consistent, positive, and engaging support network in place. Our kids are preparing for adulthood, they are not adults.

Many of my thoughts about how we best prepare students for the real world in 2020 are outlined in my answers to the questions below in regards to trade and extended learning opportunities. In thinking about college and career readiness, I immediately reflect on my own experience as the parent of a Senior. I have felt as though Merrimack High School has played a passive role in helping my child understand and explore his post-high school options and navigate the college search process. Much of the responsibility of helping him navigate the process successfully fell on myself and my husband. There were MANY times during the process that I wondered what happened to students who did not have the same level of support or guidance at home. I think one huge area of improvement we could make at MHS would be creating college and career seminars (or something similar) part of the natural rhythm of high school life beginning in freshman year. Creating, maybe, a day each quarter or semester to have "College or Career" day in which we pause from the normal routines of high school to help students understand the steps they can be taking NOW to prepare for the next steps would be something really unique that would set MHS apart. Not only is enhancing education a key to increasing our graduation rate, but improving our ability to help students (and parents) see the myriad future opportunities, evaluate them and navigate the choice process is key in their success as well. We need to do a better job of partnering with students and parents in this process.

A key goal of every school district is to prepare our students for the real world. College continues to be a fantastic and appropriate path for many students and schools have historically done very well in preparing those students for those next steps. However, the world has changed and college is no longer the top option for many families. I take issue with how much emphasis many school districts place on going to college. It's a source of extreme anxiety as well as emotional and financial stress for so many of my students. I have many examples of individuals in my own life who have chosen a different path other than college and are doing incredibly well. Many have started their own companies, focused on a trade or explored the armed services and are thriving. I also know so many people who have been out of college for decades, are still paying off their loans and earned a degree they never use. College is not the end all for everyone and schools need to realize this.
Schools need to empower students to discover their passions and find a path that works for them. Exposing students to as many career options as possible is critical to preparing our students for the real world. If we want out students to be prepared for the real world we need to look like the real world.

As you will read about in the next two questions (I happened to type them up first), I feel that college and career readiness are very important for students graduating from High School. As student's graduate, they should feel empowered to work towards their career goals whether that be college, trade work, or a family business. However, college and career readiness doesn't start and end with academics or trade skills. Students should also be prepared to endure everyday life, to include managing finances and bills, being able to develop and/or follow a schedule, creating a resume, being independent, and knowing how to make appropriate decisions for themselves. Some of this may be learned at home, but all could be supplemented through school courses or even meetings with guidance counselors. Of course, despite the review and supplementation, there will be mistakes, but teaching them how to get back up again, straighten the mistake out and try again will help them succeed no matter the college/career they choose.

One area that education on the whole needs to change is the attitude that everyone needs to attend college. There are so many opportunities for students beyond graduation and they need to be exposed to these options to find the best fit for their talents and education goals. The need for exposing students to various career fields, education tracks, and volunteer opportunities is part of the education process. The school district should provide students who do wish to go to college with the skills, course selection and goal-setting guidance.

I think students need to be ready for whatever comes after school, whether that be college, a trade or something else. They need to be exposed to the different options available to them. We need the guidance counselors to really track our students and understand their strengths and weaknesses as well as their wants and needs. I would look to ensure a policy that really engages our guidance councilors to work with every student in the district to keep them on a path forward. In the corporate world, we should be having regular career sessions with our managers and mentors, I think this translates well into the schools.

Have a policy to ensure that we have course options that will allow for a variety of disciplines enabling college and career readiness. There must be proper evaluations and student tracking throughout middle and high school to ensure the students are on the correct path matching their post high school goals. This should not only be limited to traditional instruction but vocational programs and ELO's.

My goal is to have every student that wants to attend college to have the entry level skills needed without remedial work. Our school will focus on critical thinking, inquiry, problem solving, communication, and interpersonal skills needed to prepare for the real world. I believe all children can learn at high levels.

College and career readiness are an important part of preparing young adults for success after graduation. Merrimack should be providing students interested in the college track with educational opportunities to them prepare for the level of academics expected at the college level. I would like to see high school students being challenged to excel at a true college prep or AP level and supported by the guidance department to explore opportunities toward their path of interest.

I believe that students that wish to enter college after high school should have an experience in high school that will prepare them. This should include the help of guidance counselors and/or mentors that ensure they are meeting the correct course work, as well as any outside experiences (volunteer work, internships, etc.), that would provide benefit to both the college preparation as well as career readiness. I have not experienced what this looks like today at MHS as my children are younger, but I believe in providing resources that shows what two vs. four-year schools provide and at what costs should be presented to students and families throughout the high school years to help students make informed decisions. Career Readiness is critical weather in high school or post- high school; preparing students to be able to communicate with their bosses as well as their peers and/or the public/customers should always be worked on throughout any coursework. Also being able to get a task/goal, interpret that task/goal, and independently think to achieve that task/goal is so important to teach students as that will help set them up for success when entering the workforce.