The “A-G” mandate movement has struck large and small districts all over the state, and the San Jose statistics painfully reveal the failure of this costly experiment (their disappearance rates are dramatically high since their A-G mandate, and they are passing kids with “D” grades). They are selling false promises to kids, all the while shutting down their CTE programs that could actually help the 60% who don’t qualify for CSU/UC admissions become productive citizens.

In 1987, three-quarters of California’s high school students were enrolled in CTE programs in their traditional campuses; today, only 29% have that same opportunity (a historic low).

It’s time to get real about public education and help all kids, regardless of color or socioeconomic background, gain the knowledge and skills necessary to become successful, whether their aspirations will go through a 4-year college or not. Let’s not redefine failure and introduce even more kids to it by artificially increasing graduation mandates that are devoid of realistic expectations and workforce realities.

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