editorials

The increase in # of students taking Dual Credit courses is one of the great signs of progress in the last 5 years. This increase (while the overall population of hs students declines) is a tribute to families, students and educators. The Strib is right about improvements in the PSEO law - that law has helped encourage schools to increase the # of Dual Credit courses.

Yes, great program for high school students with the drive to do more than the minimum. One of my kids did it and graduated from U of M in 3.5 years. She in better prepared and came out early - right into a good job. As our public schools are tasked with more and more special ed (increases due to drug use and dysfunctional families) and also helping kids whose parents don't care, the kids that are prepared and want to learn should be giving the chance to "escape" into a better and more challenging environment. We need them for our retirement! By the way, yea teachers for trying and sometimes succeeding in making up for lazy parents!

A bit late here, but I taught Freshman English in a local Community College and found that the high school students in my classes were challenged with being independent. At C.C. they had no peer support, parents cannot legally communicate with their teachers and they tend to be immature, erring on the side of either being too shy or too bold in their behavior. College requires a level of maturity that juniors and seniors have not yet been asked to exhibit. There are no orientation workshops for this. To think of expanding PSEOP to 9th and 10th grade students makes sense theoretically, but it's nonsense practically. A very few may be able to handle the academic rigor but none would be able to handle the academic environment. Would you send your gifted 15 year old hockey player to practice with the U of St. Thomas team? Not a healthy choice, is it? High schools can and do work to 'segregate' disruptive students from those who are more interested in learning. I suggest that parents work with their neighborhood schools to ensure those who are there to learn. Dreaming that the Post-Sec. Option is better is actually a nightmare for high school teens.