Salem High School

Salem, Missouri

Teacher: John Hendricks

 

 

Everyone in Favor of the School-to-Work Opportunities
Act of 1994 Say Aye

By Kimberly Pratt

 

 

 The School-to-Work Opportunities Act of 1994 was passed by both the House and the Senate and sent to Bill Clinton for passage on May 2, 1994. He signed the bill on May 4, 1994. The termination of this bill will be in October 2001, which I believe, is too soon. This act provides the fundamental basis for establishing and expanding school-to-work high schools and programs.

       

If this act is terminated on the set date, the interest in building and increasing the workplace skills of high school students could diminish. Therefore, American students would have no chance to gain better workplace skills or the chance to have hands on job training because their schools couldn’t afford to carry on the programs. The students who don’t further their education wouldn’t be able to have more than a minimum wage paying job because they don’t have the skills. Minorities or academically challenged students wouldn’t be given as great an opportunity for higher paying jobs because there are still prejudiced employers, even with legislation forbidding such practices in the workplace. Therefore, the pros definitely outweigh the cons and this legislation should be continued beyond the stated termination period.

       

Through this program, students can graduate from high school with knowledge of workplace skills and be better prepared for higher paying and higher skilled jobs than with the normal high school diploma. This is due to the fact that the curriculum would be more academically challenging and would therefore increase the students’ knowledge and capabilities. Those students who find success and confidence in themselves will be likely to further their education, increasing the number of college graduates, and increasing the value of the American work force.

       

These school-to-work opportunity programs are nondiscriminatory so all students, regardless of race, background, or physical and mental handicaps would be given the chance to gain workplace skills and knowledge in the field of their choice. These programs would help students to be placed at various jobs after graduation.

       

Another aspect of this program is students will be introduced to a variety of career options.  Careers class is not the same as hands on training. Most seniors don’t know what they would like to major in and these schools would allow them to explore their options and settle on one career before high school graduation. In addition to choosing a field, they would receive training and then would be ahead of others when they attend college.

       

If one is still not in favor of the continuation of this law, he needs to be informed that the federal government will pay for the initial costs of setting up the school-to-work programs.  The programs will be maintained with a combination of federal, state, and local funds, leaving taxpayers to pay the same basic amount as with a regular high school.

       

The only con of this legislation that is of any importance is that the field a particular student would like to pursue may not be available in his county or even state. Therefore, he would have to pay tuition costs for the school he chooses, or continue at a regular high school. Another alternative would be that the government develops new laws concerning this issue. This one con doesn’t out balance the need of school-to-work programs and schools.

       

Personally I am in favor of the School-to-Work Opportunities Act of 1994 because of the excellent purposes and intents of this bill. For example, all students, regardless of race or ethnic background, and mentally or physically limitations, will have the opportunity to develop workplace skills while receiving credit for high school graduation. As I see it, most students who attend these programs will gain more desire to further their education after high school. Those students who don’t want to further their education will be capable of working at a higher paid, higher skilled job right after graduation than if they would’ve attended a regular high school. Also, as a senior, I would’ve liked the chance to experience hands on training for different career fields. Career classes only give me a description about a particular field, but through these programs, I would discover what exactly the field involves. I believe that this bill should be continued because without it interest in building and expanding these school-to-work opportunity programs could diminish. This legislature is just the start of educational and school-to-work opportunity reformation that could totally change the workforce of the United States.      [Back]