Every morning on my way to EduGuide the words wake me up. In front of the dwindling remains of the historic Oldsmobile plant, a large sign proclaims: “Demolition means progress.” Beyond it rises the gleaming white walls of its replacement, the up-to-date General Motors Lansing Grand River Assembly Plant, a 21st-century factory.

This plant symbolizes how fast the labor market in America is changing. At the old factory, you could go to work straight out of high school. Today, you need a degree from a college or career training school just to be considered. And while the new factory shows that we can still build the best cars in the world, it now takes far fewer people to do it; so many people headed for the factory are now headed back to college to get new skills.

This changing workplace has been a wake up call for schools, too. Across the nation, high schools are restructuring to try to give their students a chance to get a good job in the new economy. Perhaps nowhere has the change been more significant as in Michigan, whose major overhaul was featured in the Dec. 18, 2006 issue of Time magazine.

“While the once innovative (auto) industry is struggling to find a new direction, the state’s schools have moved into the fast lane of educational reform,” the article declared.

In just the last year Michigan has instituted: 

  • State high school graduation requirements called the “Michigan Merit Curriculum” that require students to take challenging courses that will help them to go to college and compete for good jobs. Michigan originally had required just one credit of Civics; now, students must complete more than 16 credits of English, math, science and other subjects. Michigan has become a role model for high school standards across the nation, and is also the first state to require students to complete an online learning experience. 
  • A free ACT test within the Michigan Merit Exam that enables students to measure what they’ve learned and for the first time allows them to use their scores for college, career school and scholarship applications. This test replaces the high school MEAP test. 

School districts around the country and indeed, around the world are mobilizing to ensure their students have the skills to compete in the global economy. It's an exciting time to be a student. Make the most of these years.

Cheers,

Bryan Taylor

 

Bryan Taylor is the Founder and President of EduGuide.