Core curriculum changes deter career training

By CORTNEY ERNDT
Capital News Service
LANSING – High school students are locked into a tougher core curriculum, leading to a drop in vocational program enrollment. Students have less time to leave their high school building to attend a career tech center program that provides career-oriented courses. Career tech center enrollment decreased 30 percent the first year the new Michigan Merit Curriculum became effective for the Class of 2011, Michigan Association of School Boards Deputy Director Don Wotruba said. “Students are juggling their schedules around all of these new core requirements,” Wotruba said. Wotruba said he does not foresee the Department of Education changing the requirements.