'College for All' Confronted

Harvard Report Proposes Diverse Academic Paths

By concentrating too much on classroom-based academics with four-year college as a goal, the nation’s education system has failed vast numbers of students, who instead need solid preparation for careers requiring less than a bachelor’s degree, Harvard scholars argue in a new report .

Leaders of the “Pathways to Prosperity” project at the Harvard Graduate School of Education argue for an education system that clearly articulates students’ career options as early as middle school and defines the coursework and training required, so young people can chart an informed course toward work, whether as an electrician or a college professor.

The Feb. 2 report arrives as experts are trying to define what skills are necessary for work...