I just read Randy Shumway's column on how our public education system could be reformed to improve students' ability to move into higher education and employment ("Empowering our Utah graduates to achieve more," Mar. 1). His suggestion is to integrate high school and college in a K-13 arrangement with trade-specific classes taught in high school, so a student can leave high school with an associate degree or trade certificate. It also allows qualified students to enroll at a university after the 11th grade.
I was amazed, not at what he suggested in the column, but that he would present the proposal as his proposal. Except for the K-13 suggestion, many school districts in the state have been doing most, if not all, of the very things Shumway suggests. For example, Advanced Placement classes, concurrent enrollment and on-line college classes; tech center classes, some that generate trade certificates and some that count as the first year toward an associate degree; early graduation; and early entrance to a four year college.
Fred Ash
Sandy