I'm Steve Ember with the VOA Special English Education
Report.
Lawmakers in Florida have taken a step to add a college tradition to high
schools in their state. The Florida Legislature has approved a requirement for
high school students to declare a major interest of study.
The measure is included in an education bill that would also require students
to take a fourth year of math. It calls for new programs for students who do not
plan to go to college, and special classes for struggling students. And it calls
for younger students to get instruction about planning for the kind of work they
would like to do when they grow up.
Florida Governor Jeb Bush supported the legislation as part of an education
reform plan. He says declaring a major area of interest will make high school
more interesting to many students. And he says it will give them a chance to
discover what their interests are.
The major could be a subject like biology, math or a foreign language. Or it
could be a skill such as car or computer repair. Students would have to declare
their interest in eighth grade and take four classes in that area during their
four years in high school.
Supporters of the idea say the goal is to get students to think about what
they want to do and help them prepare for their future. But some people say the
program could make it difficult for students to explore different possibilities.
And they say fourteen-year-old eighth-graders are too young to know what they
want to do in life.
Studies have shown that at least half of all college students change their
majors. Educators say this will probably happen in Florida high schools, too.
But they say the students could use the classes as credit to meet graduation
requirements, so they will not have lost time.
Florida education officials say the high school graduation rate in 2005was
seventy-two percent. Supporters hope the new plan will lead more students to
stay in school because they will be learning a job skill. And they say the
majors should represent the needs of each community because the programs are to
be created locally.
This VOA Special English Education Report was written by
Nancy Steinbach. Read and listen to our reports at voaspecialenglish.com. And if
you are a teacher and use Special English in school, let us know how. We invite
you to tell us what you teach and where you are. Write to special@voanews.com.
I’m Steve
Ember.
（來源：VOA 英語點(diǎn)津姍姍編輯）
