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Public high schools have to take all comers; not all jobs or students are college material. The presumption that a generic high school diploma presumes college readiness is highly flawed. Any wishful-thinking message or program from the president based on the assumption that every high school student from every high school should be college ready is just plain delusional.
It would be better if the President instead challenged students and schools to identify and send a clear message those students who should head to college, that a generic high school diploma is not enough; don't assume it is enough. It will never be enough. The students need to strive for more. The parent need to demand more for appropriate students. But not for everyone. College is not appropriate for all. Pouring money down the drain to futilely try to raise the quality of every student's outcome is hopeless.
Many public school systems, in Massachusetts for example, are obsessed with inclusion. The very best student are dumped in the same classes with remedial, which serves none. Public school system need to start serving college-capable students as the treasure that they are. Stop one-size fits all classes and start putting money into college bound students rather than pouring 25 to 40% of funding into the very least likely to succeed students.
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