Voc Ed

New National Governors Association report on vocational education, now known as career and technical ed. Punchline: It’s not just about working on hot rods out behind school anymore.

Seriously, along with pre-K education, and creating more tools for teachers, voc-ed, or CTE in the jargon, strikes me as a place where venture philanthropy could really make a contribution toward fostering new ideas and replicable models. Solid programs can prepare kids academically and give them portable skills in a variety of fields. In other words, good CTE can be an add-on to a strong core education, not a substitute, and a gateway to important and rewarding work.