RE: Question 2: Integrating Career Preparation

You are absolutely right.  Some have even suggested that the state may be liable to court challenge if it produces and promotes an education system that so systematically ignores the needs of the vast majority of students who will enter the economy directly after high school.

I do not know about the legal issues, but the intense focus on college prep does seem unjustified.  While we may need to find ways to improve education, doing it by removing technology and career education is unacceptable (well, attempting to do it:  no-one has yet shown ANY evidence that more units of academics will solve the education problem).

Motivation, relevance, and engagement with the real world...  those are key ideas that can help all students learn better and make better life choices.

Seth Bates