What would keep dropouts in school?

If 81 percent of high school dropouts said there was one thing that would have made the difference between them staying in school or not, wouldn't you want to see that issue addressed?

Here it is: 81 percent of high school dropouts say relevant, real-world experiences in the classroom would have kept them in school.

In many of our local middle and high schools, students receive real-world experiences through courses and programs in Career Technical Education (CTE). I know this first-hand.

In 2012, working with a dedicated group of local business, industry, government and education leaders, we established the Career Technical Education Foundation Sonoma County. Over the past three years, this foundation has raised more than $1.3 million with the goal of matching the needs of local industry with results-driven, relevant career training and job skill classes in local middle and high schools.

Today, Sonoma County's Office of Education, the CTE Foundation and Santa Rosa Junior College form a countywide partnership with Kaiser Permanente to provide classroom instruction, lab experience as well as time in the hospital for students to explore health careers. Healdsburg High School's Construction and Sustainability Academy is developing an entire curriculum that integrates its college-approved academic courses with the skills that students are learning in the shop.

In programs like these students receive a well-rounded education that is critical to the future success of our economy. Seniors graduate with the real-world skills necessary for them to thrive in college or while creating their careers.

As exciting as it has been to see progress, it's been frustrating as well to watch state government underfund career training and job skills programs, and to see many school districts make the decision to not fund these programs to their full potential. There is always a higher priority than investing in CTE, though more than two thirds of high school students won't go on to achieve a four-year college degree and desperately need these real-world career skills.

That's why, from my first day in the State Senate, I have made it a top priority to secure CTE dollars for all school districts in California. Working with a bi-partisan coalition and the Governor's office, the state has invested $900 million over three years for results-driven, high-quality career training classes in public middle and high schools.

I am proud to say that this is the first time that small and rural districts, like many in our neck of the woods, will have an equal playing field when it comes to career training classes.

We know that, if educational leaders invest in CTE, our communities will reap the rewards: More than two thirds of the nation's jobs will require technical training for careers that are high skill, high demand, and high wage. The skilled trades are the hardest jobs to fill in the United States, with 645,000 jobs open in trade, transportation and utilities sectors and 253,000 jobs open in manufacturing.

History has shown that as many as 92 percent of high school students concentrating in CTE programs pursued higher education through skilled certificate programs or entering college. Of students who focus on CTE classes, more than 90 percent graduate from high school compared to 75 percent of non-CTE students.

The positive difference is huge — and that's especially important right here in the North Bay, where there is a shortage of a skilled workforce for many local companies and the need for skilled labor has been growing as the local economy has improved.

It just makes sense to design career training programs for students that also meet the needs of the North Bay's burgeoning industries. Our belief: Young people should graduate high school ready for the workforce, providing local businesses with skilled employees to fill their increasing vacancies.

CTE works for California. It is a major part of the solution to countless national economic and workforce challenges, such as high school dropout rates, a weakened economy, and global competitiveness. If local and state leaders step up to invest in career training, our students and communities will thrive.

State Sen. Mike McGuire, D-North Coast, is a third generation Northern Californian. He served on the Healdsburg City Council and the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors. His Second Senate District includes the North Coast region, from Marin County to Del Norte County.

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