More than a few of us experienced sticker shock on learning that a new Hodgson Vocational Technical High School building will come with a $200 million-plus price tag.
A year or so ago, the estimate was more like $130 million. Inflation, supply chain and other factors boosted that estimate and make the new school buildings an expensive proposition.
To the south, a long-running plan to build a new vo-tech high school building in fast-growing Sussex County will come with a similar price tag as Hodgson’s.
A new building for the high school south of Newark in Glasgow was long overdue. The original Hodgson building is a bare-bones school, perhaps a reflection of the time when vo-tech high school buildings were viewed as secondary to workplace experiences.
Over the years, a lot has changed at Hodgson and in a New Castle County vo-tech system that is now wrestling with issues of student performance and test scores as well as preparation for a rapidly changing tech-driven workplace. The Covid-19 pandemic added more challenges.
Many students at Hodgson and other vo-techs struggle with issues that come with lower-income households and homes with a single parent.
At the same time, the need for vo-tech high school grads is growing as industries face a lack of workers. Shortages are serious in areas like the construction trades.
For a growing number of families, the costs of earning a college degree, especially if accompanied by burdensome student debt, is simply too risky.
Other options exist including getting an associates degree, often at little or no cost, and eventually earning a bachelor’s. But first a basic math and communications background is needed along with workplace hard and soft skills that a vo-tech high school is in a unique position to provide. – Doug Rainey, chief content officer.
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd,
racist or sexually-oriented language. PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK. Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another
person will not be tolerated. Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone
or anything. Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism
that is degrading to another person. Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on
each comment to let us know of abusive posts. Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness
accounts, the history behind an article.
(0) comments
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.