'College for All' Campaign Getting a Second Look

Teacher Joel Buringrud, seated center, watches as students perform a musical pantomime in a class at Harmony Magnet Academy in Strathmore, Calif. The class is part of a career pathway in performing arts created by the district.

—Jamie Rector for Education Week

Some say students should also be prepared for postsecondary options that could lead to a bright future—but not necessarily a four-year degree

By Catherine Gewertz

After years of intense focus by American policy leaders and educators on college readiness, a growing chorus is calling for schools to better prepare students for futures that might not include four-year degrees.

A recent Harvard University report synthesized concerns that had long been simmering as the country’s dominant education push has been to raise academic standards and make more young people into successful college students. By pressing students onto a college path, some observers wonder, are we shortchanging students whose future plans might not include a baccalaureate degree? Can we create preparation options that truly open all doors for all students?

The “Pathways to Prosperity” study, released in February, argued that job-market realities and college-completion patterns demand that schools pay more attention to the large swath of students who graduate from high school but might not earn four-year college degrees. ( "Harvard Report Questions Value of 'College for All'," ...