The Greene County Career Center is asking voters to renew its .75 mill permanent improvement levy.
The $2,050,00 generated annually by the levy will be used to upgrade equipment and technology to keep pace with industry developments. GCCC plans to offer a number of new programs including an international business and finance, health science academy, improve and expand the information technology and welding programs. GCCC also wants to upgrade the fire and security systems thoughout its facilities.
Important as is state-of-the art equipment and educational programs that promise to prepare our youth for the competitive market-place, a more important question is whether the Greene County Career Center is actually doing so.
According the last performance reports, its seems the GCCC is. The lastest proficiency tests shows GCCC students making significant improvements. For example, the percent of students achieving an at or above level on reading test increased from 90% in 2009 to 93% in 2010, from 85% in 2009 to 91% in 2010 on the mathematic test, and from 53% to 65% on industry skills testing.
Another impressive aspect of the latest performance report was the increase of the number of student completing both their career training and graduating. In 2009, the Greene County Career Center graduated 90% of its students, but 98% of GCCC graduated in 2010. That is an amazing improvement.
Of course, the purpose for vocational training is getting a job. The state career-tech performance assessment also reported on after-graduation placements. The report indicated that fewer GCCC greaduates got jobs in 2010(65% in 2009 to 54% in 2010) and fewer pursued college or advanced technical training (58% in 2009 to 52% in 2010). The report even showed fewer going into the military or an apprenticeship.
The recession is one likely reason for these negative results.
Whatever the reasons, students attending Greene County’s only vocational-tech school need the best possibly training to compete in an increasingly global marketplace.
Voting Yes on Issue 14 will enable the Greene County Career Center to provide the the needed equipment and technologies for that training.